Pecan Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (16 ounce) can mashed sweet potatoes
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 cups cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish

• coarsely chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with foil or paper liners.
2. Place pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted, stirring once after 4 minutes.

Cake

1. Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Whisk together mashed sweet potatoes, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour and next 5 ingredients.
4. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sweet potato mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
5. Beat at low speed just until blended.
6. Fold in toasted pecans.
7. Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.
8. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.
9. Remove from pans, and cool on a wire rack.

Frosting

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy.
2. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar.
3. Spread or pipe cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.
4. Garnish with pecans.