Feed me more: Pecan Pie Cupcakes

I love Pecan Pie Cupcakes! Found this delicious recipe at My recipes and I just had to share it with you. Imagine... drinking a hot caramel tea accompanied by a yummy cupcake in the warmth of your home in a cold November evening... Cuddling and all!

Ingredients

Butter Cake:

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Paperbaking cups

Vegetable cooking spray

Pecan Pie Frosting:

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup cornstarch

4 egg yolks

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings:

1 cup toasted pecans

Piecrust Leaves:

1/2 (14.1-oz) package refrigerated piecrusts

How to

To prepare Butter Cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.

To prepare Pecan Pie Frosting, whisk together first 6 ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until thickened. Remove pan from heat; stir in butter and vanilla, whisking until butter melts. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on surface of mixture (to prevent a film from forming); chill about 3 hours or until thick. Makes 4 cups. Frost each cupcake.

To prepare Piecrust Leaves, unroll piecrust on a flat surface. Using a 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out leaves. Bake according to package directions. Makes about 48 leaves.

Top each cupcake with toasted pecans and 1 piecrust leaf.

Note: Pecan Pie Frosting is best when made the night before.

Recipe and photo via My Recipes.com