Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
- ½ cup (55g) pecans, toasted and chopped
- ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ½ cup (55g) pecans, toasted and chopped
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 3-4 tablespoons (45-60ml) milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Prepare the Butter Pecan Crumble: Combine dry ingredients, cut in cold butter, add pecans, and crumble with your fingers. Bake until golden brown. Let cool.
- Make the Homemade Caramel Sauce: Melt sugar in a saucepan, then add butter and cream, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened. Stir in salt. Let cool slightly.
- Toast and Chop Pecans: Toast pecans in oven. Let cool, and chop to appropriate size for cupcakes and crumble.
- Make the Butter Pecan Cupcakes: Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla. Alternately add dry ingredients (flour mixture) and buttermilk. Fold in pecans.
- Fill and Bake Cupcakes: Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Fill each liner with batter, about ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Prepare the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: Beat butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with milk/cream, until desired consistency is reached. Stir in vanilla.
- Assemble the Cupcakes: Core out a small well in the center of each cupcake. Fill with caramel sauce. Frost cupcakes with buttercream. Sprinkle with butter pecan crumble.