You know how some people design a room around a single item, like a statement chair or a chic lamp? I do something similar when I bake. My mom made some delicious apple cider cupcakes a few weeks ago, and I fell in love with her brown sugar frosting. I kid you not, I asked her for the recipe before I had even finished eating. Literally. Mouth still full of cupcake. I knew I wanted to use her frosting on a cupcake, so I started brainstorming. What goes well with brown sugar? Pears. BAKED PEARS! Boom, the ideas started flowing. I ended up with a cinnamon pear cupcake, topped with a brown sugar buttercream, and garnished with candied walnuts. Sound intriguing? Read on for the recipe!
All in all, these are fairly simple cupcakes! I try to time-manage as much as possible, so I started by taking out my eggs and butter to come to room temperature and pre-heating the oven. I’m not sure why, but my mom always takes her eggs out before baking- anyone know the benefit? The cupcakes themselves are fairly straightforward, and while those were baking, I got started on the walnuts.
These walnuts are SO easy. Toss the three ingredients in a pot, heat it up, and keep stirring until the sugar starts to melt. Making them is the easy part. Refraining from eating them ALL… not so easy.
Now for the famous frosting! Again, this is a fairly standard buttercream frosting. Nothing too crazy here! I just love the addition of brown sugar in this frosting. Something about that flavor seems very autumnal to me. Anyone else?
After allowing the cupcakes to totally cool, I piped the frosting on and topped everything with a few candied walnuts. Ta-daa! Now all I have to do is get them out of the house. With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, I definitely don’t need any extra calories in my diet!
Ingredients
- FOR THE CUPCAKES
- 1/2 a pear, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tsp baking powder
- FOR THE WALNUTS
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- FOR THE FROSTING
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Let's start with the cupcakes! Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Put the chopped pear in a bowl and add the lemon juice to keep it from turning brown. Sprinkle the 1 tbsp of cinnamon on top and stir.
- Mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cream the 1 stick of butter and the 1 cup sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk. Make sure to scrape down the sides, and mix for about two minutes or until well-incorporated and creamy.
- Fold in the pear.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set aside to cool.
- Next up, the walnuts! These are so stinkin' easy. First up, lay out a piece of parchment paper.
- Then, throw the walnuts, butter, and sugar into a saucer and heat over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar starts to melt. Once it starts to melt, make sure all the walnuts are evenly coated.
- Transfer to the parchment paper and spread out. Allow to cool, and voila!
- Now for the frosting! In an electric mixer, beat the 2 sticks of butter, the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Add the confectioners sugar one cup at a time. If your frosting looks like it is too thick, add the milk one teaspoon at a time. Repeat until you have the consistency you want.
- Transfer to a piping bag and pipe onto your (completely) cooled cupcake.
- Top with a candied walnut and you're done! Now go enjoy one for all your hard work 🙂
What are your favorite fall flavors?
These look and sound so nice, make great gifts too!
Kathy x
http://www.alongcamekathy.blogspot.co.nz
Author
Thank you Kathy! What a great idea!
These look so delicious! You have me craving cupcakes right now!
Author
Thank you Amanda! I’ve eaten way more than I care to confess!