I love sugared pecans, but in all my years of baking on this planet, I have never had the opportunity to make them. I usually pick them up at a state fair or at a theme park, but it didn’t occur to me to make them myself.
Well…that is until these cupcakes.
Now, awhile ago, the Hubs and I had picked up a bag of whole pecans somewhere passing through Georgia, I think. I honestly can’t remember where or when because I am notorious for picking up random yummy things when we travel. You should see how many jars of jams and jellies I have in my pantry. It is ridiculous.
Anyway, seeing as how I have never made sugared pecans, I honestly didn’t know how to shell them either. So I asked my super-southern-grew-up-crackin-nuts Hubs to help me out. Well, that was a big mistake. He thinks that I am just crazy for never having the opportunity to crack me open some pecans{best southern accent}. And he has told everyone so for the past week.
Well now I know and I can check that off my baking bucket list.
Ok….time for the cupcakes.
This girl likes a thick layer of ganache, so I choose to dip each cupcake 2-3 times, letting them cool on a wire rack for a few minutes in between each layer.
Recipe by Carrie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking spice or cinnamon
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans
- 8 tablespoons {1 stick} unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg, plus 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and adjust an oven rack to the middle position.
- Line standard muffin pan with paper or foil liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking spice/cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
- In your stand mixer bowl, cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanillas.
- On low speed, slowly add 1/2 of your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients until just combined.
- Add your sour cream and then add remaining dry ingredients.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and mix again on medium speed for 30 seconds or so.
- Fold in your pecans.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cups of your prepared tin using a ice cream scoop or spoon.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before adding the white chocolate ganache.
- In a double boiler or if not accessible, use a glass bowl atop a saucepan filled with 2-3 inches of boiling water, add your chocolate chips and heavy cream.
- Stir until melted and smooth.
- Carefully dip your cupcakes 2-3 times into your warm ganache and top with sugared pecan.
