Sticky Pecan Cupcakes

Sticky and oh so sweet! The only way I can describe the brown sugar, honey and pecan topping on these easy to make cupcakes is amazing. Perfect for those of us who need a sugar rush at breakfast, or just enjoy a nice sticky bun.

 Doing a little prep work for the stickiness, I cut wax paper circles for the bottom of the cupcake tin.

sugar + molasses

= brown sugar

Since this recipe is pretty simple, I'm going to do my new favorite trick and make my own brown sugar so that it can be extra dark and rich. Just add some molasses to granulated sugar and fluff with the fork until it's all mixed in. Mmmmm...

Using an appropriate spatula

Once the cupcake batter is quickly mixed together in the Kitchen Aid, I'm melting the brown sugar, honey and butter together on the stove. Taste testing is strongly recommended.

Time to combine the ingredients... first a spoonful of the melted mixture, then evenly distribute the pecans, and finally fill the rest of the way with batter. I put them in the oven, and as they are baking the pecan mixture is bubbling up the sides and out of the tins! It smells too good.

After I pull them out of the oven, I flip over the cupcake tin and they fall right out! Some of the pecans stuck in the tin so I replaced them on top, but otherwise it was a very successful recipe. The bottoms are a little strange (being the rounded real top of the cupcake) so a cupcake liner does the trick to hold it up.

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Sticky Pecan Cupcakes Recipe

Makes 12 cupcakes.

     Cupcake Batter

     All-purpose flour - 1 1/4 cups

     Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

     Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
     Salt - 1/4 tsp
     Eggs - 1 large egg
     Egg yolk - 1 yolk
     Sugar - 1 cup
     Canola oil - 1/2 cup
     Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
     Sour cream - 1/2 cup

     Sticky Pecan Topping

     Butter - 1/2 cup

     Honey - 5 tbsp

     Brown sugar - 2/3 cups

     Pecans (chopped) - 1 1/2 cups

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut wax paper circles to line the bottoms of the cupcake tins and grease the sides. 
2. Cream together the sugar, egg and egg yolk on medium speed with paddle attachment until thick and light in color (2 minutes).
3. On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until fully incorporated. Add sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.
4. Sift together the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the mixture and mix until just incorporated.
5. In a saucepan, cook the butter, honey and brown sugar over medium heat stirring constantly until melted together. Remove from heat.
6. Spoon the brown sugar mixture evenly into the bottom of each cupcake tin. Add the pecans next, distributing evenly. Finally add the cupcake batter (the tins should be about full when done).
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.