Maple Butter Pecan Cupcakes

I could tell you what I made for dinner tonight, but I think this is a lot more exciting:

I’ve had these cake mixes in the back of my pantry for at least a year, maybe longer.  I’ve known in the back of my mind that they were going to expire soon and that I needed to use them.  Today when I got home from work I thought, “I want cupcakes.”  And so I made some.

I started with a butter pecan cake mix.  I mixed and baked it according to package directions, except I used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer instead of eggs.  I ended up with 24 cupcakes.  Then I topped them with maple buttercream and toasted chopped pecans.

I haven’t used a cake mix in forever!  The problem with cake mixes is that they make TWENTY-FOUR cupcakes.  This Homemade Household only contains has TWO people.  Although I can put away cupcakes like nobody’s business, I don’t think I could down 12 before they went bad.  But maybe I underestimate myself….

I decided to put 12 of the cupcakes in the freezer for another time.  Then I made the following recipe for maple buttercream while the pecans toasted over low heat in a dry skillet.

Maple Buttercream Frosting
Enough for 12 cupcakes

1/4 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp milk, any kind

Beat butter until soft.  Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until mixture is crumbly, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.  Add 1 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tbsp milk.  Beat to combine.  Add second tbsp maple syrup.  Beat to combine.  Beat on high speed until smooth and fluffy.

Frost cupcakes with a small offset spatula or a spoon.  Top with toasted pecan pieces.

Only 10 cupcakes left after Benzo and I each had one:

I wonder how long they will last.  My guess is they won’t make it past Saturday.  At the latest.