Pecan Praline Cupcakes

If you love pralines, you will love these pecan praline cupcakes with delicious homemade pralines on top!

Two desserts in one!

I’m a huge fan of pecan pralines. Our family has often traveled to the southeast part of the US and there’s just nothing better than a still-warm praline in Charleston or Savannah… YUM!  I’ve always wanted to try making homemade pralines, but I’ve never had a good recipe. Last month, we visited family friends, Dave and MaryAnne, and Dave told us he has the BEST pecan praline recipe. He whipped some up for us and oh my…. He shared his recipe and I had the idea to carry some of those flavors over into cupcakes.

Really, these two desserts stand alone, but are especially fun together!

Let’s start with those pralines (printable recipe):

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups of sugar
• 1 1/4 cups of hot water
• 1 1/4 cups of chopped pecans
• 24-36 pecan halves
• 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon of maple extract

DIRECTIONS:

• Use oil or butter to coat a mini muffin tin well.
• Place all ingredients (except the whole pecans) into a large saucepan and heat over stove, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 234F degrees.
• Remove from heat and stir for 5-8 minutes until the candy loses it’s glossy look and gets more cloudy and granular.
• Spoon (carefully!!!) into well- greased muffin tin.
• Press a pecan half into the top of each praline and allow to cool.
• When cooled, tip onto clean surface and ENJOY!

Now for those cupcakes…..! (printable recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 
• 3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoons of vanilla
• 2 teaspoons of maple flavoring
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup of chopped pecans (as desired)

Praline Buttercream frosting:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 sticks (one cup) butter
• 5 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS: (start the frosting first, as it needs to cool before beating)

Cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with 24-30 cupcake liners 
• In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream together the sugar and butter for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs once at a time until incorporated and then mix in vanilla and maple flavoring.
• In a different large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add flour mixture to the sugar and butter, alternating with the cream.
• Stir in pecans.
• Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 15-18 min. Be careful to not over-bake.
• Cool in pan for a few minutes before removing to finish cooling on the counter.

Frosting:

• In a small sauce pan, heat brown sugar, cream and 2 tablespoons of butter on medium heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool completely.
• In a large bowl, beat together the cooled brown sugar mixture with remaining butter until smooth.
• Add powdered sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy.
• Place in a zip-top bag fitted with a decorator’s tip, and pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
• Top with a praline- or even a pecan half instead.
• Enjoy!!

My thoughts: These are perfectly wonderful together in one beautiful dessert, or they can be made as individual recipes. Either way, if you love pecan pralines, you will love these yummy treats! Enjoy! ~r

Other fun cupcake recipes from Easybaked (click on the photo to see the recipe):