Countdown to Valentine's Day: Chocolate Pecan Cupcakes

For a special treat for kids or adults, why not make up a batch of moist, Chocolate Pecan Cupcakes with cream cheese icing for your loved-ones...or for yourself? The secret "moist-maker" in these gems is buttermilk. The tartness of the buttermilk balances the sweetness for a perfectly balanced taste. The toasted pecans are on the bottom for a nice surprise at the end. From start to finish, these portable goodies will make anyone's day. Do you have a favorite treat for your sweetie that you would like to share? Drop us a line at thesoutherndish@gmail.com.

Chocolate Pecan Cupcakes
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
6 T. cocoa powder, such as Hershey's
3 T. hot tap water
3 T. butter, melted
6 T. buttermilk
1 egg
1 egg white
24 pecan halves, lightly toasted
Hershey's Kisses or Hugs or Dove heart-shaped promises or other candy for decorating tops

Quick Cream Cheese Icing
3 oz. cream cheese (reduced-fat is okay here)
1 c. confectioners' sugar

Beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Reserve icing.

To make cupcakes, preheat oven to 350. Place pecan halves on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven until just toasted. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and place two toasted pecan halves in the bottom of each one. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix cocoa powder with and 3 tablespoons hot tap water to dissolve. Add butter, buttermilk, egg, and egg white to chocolate mixture; beat well. Stir in flour mixture until batter is smooth and shiny. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake liners. Bake about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before icing. Ice with cream cheese icing or other desired icing. Top with a chocolate candy such as Hershey’s Kisses or Hugs or Dove heart-shaped Promises.

"Traditional" Cream Cheese Frosting / Icing

There are lots and lots of cream cheese icing recipes out there. I think I've made them all. Some have as few as 3 oz. of cream cheese in the recipe and some have as many as 4 cups of powdered sugar. Personally, I like to taste the cream cheese without having it over-powered by sugar. That is the reason this recipe is my favorite. It is plenty sweet but is also nicely balanced by the cream cheese and butter. You'll probably notice that I don't specify unsalted butter here. That is intentional and is also part of my balancing act with the flavors, but, of course, use whatever you prefer.

Cream Cheese Icing
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened, room temperature
6 T. butter, softened, room temperature
1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
2 - 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Cream together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add in sugar while beating. Cover and refrigerate until spreadable, about 15 minutes. Cake or cupcakes will need to be refrigerated when finished...if you have any left!