Praline Cream Cupcakes are a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Now, I doubt we will agree whether you should say “puh-con” or “pee-can,” but I am sure we will all agree that pecans are a delicious treat when sweetened with sugar. I add a little cinnamon, butter and salt to the chopped pecans in this recipe. Then sprinkle them on top of the cupcake batter where they caramelize as the cupcakes bake. I top the cupcakes with a silky smooth Cream Cheese Frosting that can also be made with dairy free cream cheese and is equally as delicious. The combination of light, buttery vanilla cupcake, crunchy sweet praline flavored pecans and the creamy frosting brings me back to my days living in the deep south. Oh- and you’d never guess this cupcake is gluten free. I was told that by more than one wheat eating critic;-)
The What & When
The ingredients for the Cream Cheese Frosting need to be at room temp for them to combine properly. You may want to have these sitting out while you prepare the cupcakes. Once they are at room temp, it is just a matter of combining the butter and cream cheese with your mixer, then adding the powdered sugar and vanilla a little at a time until it is all incorporated and smooth. You can store the frosting in the fridge until you are ready to use it (if the cupcakes are still warm at this point). I keep it in a large ziplock bag, then cut off a corner and use it like a pastry bag to pipe the frosting.
If you want to decorate these cupcakes for Mardi Gras. Split the frosting into 3 even amounts in separate bowls and use food color to tint them purple, yellow and green. Set up your piping bag (I use a gallon ziplock bag) by cutting the tip off the bag and insert your frosting tip. Prop it up inside a wide cup or small bowl. Put each of the three colors of frosting into the piping bag as you see in the pictures below. When you begin to pipe the frosting on, it will blend beautifully!
Next
Having the Praline Topping ready to go when you finish the batter may also help. All of the ingredients go in the same bowl and you stir to combine it all. Easy!
Then
The batter comes together easily too. Start with creaming the sugar and eggs. Add the remaining wet ingredients, then the dry. I scoop a ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake liner, then sprinkle the Praline Topping on. And bake!
Finally
Once the cupcakes cool, top with the Cream Cheese Frosting and sprinkle with any remaining pecans from the Praline Topping. Dig in anytime now! Leftovers (if you have any) will need to be stored in the fridge since the frosting is made with cream cheese. Let them return to room temp before eating because the fridge will make the cake stiff and crumbly. Otherwise the cupcakes without frosting are best stored at room temp..
P.S.
Some other cupcake recipes to check out: Not So Vanilla Cupcakes, Chocolate Toffee Peanut Butter Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Crunch Frosting, Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting or Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter - melted & cooled
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend with xanthan gum - I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt - ½ teaspoon if you are using fine salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
For the Praline Topping:
- 1 ½ cups chopped unsalted pecans
- 4 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoon butter - melted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- salt to taste
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 8 oz. container cream cheese - at room temp
- 8 tablespoon butter - at room temp
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place liners in cupcake tin(s).
- In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, combine all ingredients for the Praline Topping and set aside.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, cream sugar and eggs. Add melted butter, half & half and vanilla.
- On a slow speed, gradually add flour mixture until fully combined.
- Fill cupcake liners with approximately ¼ cup of batter. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the Praline Topping onto the top of the batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned and set. Remove from oven and let cool. Top with Cream Cheese Frosting and enjoy!
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Combine the cream cheese and butter with a hand or stand mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla. Once all powdered sugar has been incorporated, turn the speed to high and whip until light and creamy.
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