Praline Cupcakes.....

The reason I decided to prepare these cupcakes was the pecans. I have such wonderful memories of picking up pecans as a child. During the cool holidays, we would travel to my Mother's parents house. It was in a rural part of Mississippi. After we had all feasted, the adults would decide we all needed to talk a walk. We would take our buckets and head to the pecan trees. All the grandchildren ran around; occasionally picking up a few pecans. The adults would walk around reminiscing while picking up pecans. To see the adults laughing like children was always such a treat. This was truly a special time for adults and children.

These muffins looked good. Soooo why not make them?! The recipe is from a yahoo group, Catsrecipes. It looks like the poster, rlhintexas may have obtained it from http://southernfood.about.com/

PRALINE CUPCAKES

1/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups sifted cake flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

TOPPING:

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

18 pecan halves

Cream softened butter in mixing bowl. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Add about 1/2 of the milk and the egg; mix until flour is thoroughly moistened. Beat for 2 minutes.

Add remaining milk and the vanilla; beat for 1 minute longer. Stir in the chopped pecans.

Place paper baking cups in muffin cups and fill about 1/2 full with the batter.

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched with finger.

Combine melted butter and brown sugar; spoon over hot cupcakes.

Place a pecan half in the center of each; return to oven and bake for 5 minutes longer.

*******Delicious!! Please use REAL butter. It will make such a difference in the topping.