Maple Pecan Cupcakes

• FOR THE CUPCAKES:
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Diced Pecans
• 1 cup Cake Flour
• 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour, Plus A Pinch For Dusting The Pecans
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoons Grated Nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoons Allspice
• 1/4 teaspoons Ground Clove
• 1/4 teaspoons Ground Ginger
• 1/2 cups Butter
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1/2 cups Whole Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Imitation Maple Flavoring
• _____
• FOR THE FROSTING:
• 1/4 cups Butter
• 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
• 1 teaspoon Imitation Maple Flavoring

1. FOR THE CUPCAKES:
2. 1. Candy the pecans. In a pan over medium heat, mix white sugar and pecan pieces, constantly stirring as the sugar melts. When the mixture becomes a nice golden brown color, remove from heat. Careful, it can go from golden brown to burnt surprisingly quickly, so don't wait too long to remove from the heat! Stir until cooled, breaking the pieces apart as you stir. Once cooled, crumble and break apart any pecans that are stuck together.
3. 2. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices; stir with a whisk until combined. Add butter and mix with an eletric mixer.
4. 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and maple flavoring. With mixer on medium speed, add this mixture to the dry ingredients in 3 parts.
5. 4. Dust the candied pecans with some flour (this keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes). Mix in the candied pecans, optionally saving a 1/4 cup for garnishing your cupcakes.
6. 5. Divide among cupcake liners. Bake at 325u0b0 until a toothpick comes out clean, about 17-20 minutes.
7. FOR THE FROSTING:
8. 1. Beat butter vigorously with an electric mixer. Scrape the bowl and add the cream cheese. Beat until combined.
9. 2. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
10. 3. Add the maple flavoring and mix.
11. 4. Continue to add powdered sugar in parts until desired consistency for piping.

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Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/maple-pecan-cupcakes/ (may not work)