Pecan pie is just one of those beloved desserts that most people can’t get enough of! And this recipe for Pecan Pie Cupcakes combines all of those delicious flavors into cupcake form!
This recipe for pecan nut pie cupcakes is made from soft vanilla cupcakes filled with a gooey pecan pie filling and swirled with a brown sugar cream cheese frosting. If you are a pecan pie lover or know of one, try this recipe! They are the best cupcakes to try during the holiday season!
If you love bakes that celebrate nuts, look at this recipe for a Wholenut Chocolate Bundt Cake and this one for a Naked Carrot Cake.
Or if you are looking for other ideas for Thanksgiving desserts, have a look at this recipe for a moist Pumpkin Cupcake or this recipe for the ultimate Chocolate Cupcake.
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Ingredients
To make these homemade pecan pie cupcakes, you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember to always use fresh room temperature ingredients when baking.
- Sunflower oil
- Extra-large eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Salt
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- Maple syrup
- Pecan nuts
- Brown sugar
- Cornflour
- Water
- Powdered sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Ground cinnamon
Sunflower oil – these cupcakes use oil instead of butter for extra moistness! Use neutral-tasting vegetable oil for this recipe like sunflower or canola oil.
Self-raising flour - if you can't find self-raising flour, you can use cake flour or all purpose flour mixed with baking powder. Check the recommendations on the packaging of your baking powder to decide how much should be added.
Extra-large eggs – out of their shell, the eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren’t sure if you have the same eggs – weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
Vanilla extract – choose a quality vanilla extract rather than essence for this recipe. You can also use vanilla bean paste.
Unsalted butter – choose unsalted butter when baking, so that you are able to adjust the saltiness of your cakes. It is very important that you are using room temperature butter for the frosting.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the simple instructions below to make these easy pecan nut pie cupcakes. First, you will be making the vanilla cupcakes, then the pecan filling and brown sugar frosting, and finally you will be assembling the cupcakes.
Instructions for cupcakes
STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 170C (340F) and line 24 cupcake cases into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
STEP 2: Beat eggs, sugar, and oil. Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
STEP 3: Add dry ingredients. Sift together the salt and flour then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
STEP 4: Add milk and vanilla. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a jug, and slowly pour this into the cake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
STEP 5: Bake. Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a jug or ice cream scoop, filling each case two-thirds of the way up the paper liners. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Instructions for filling
STEP 1: Make the cornflour slurry. In a small bowl combine the cornflour and water, and stir to dissolve the flour into the water.
STEP 2: Heat ingredients. Add the brown sugar, butter, maple syrup, cornflour mixture, and vanilla to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and the sugar to dissolve, while stirring occasionally.
STEP 3: Add pecans. Add the chopped pecans to the sugar mixture and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Instructions for frosting
STEP 1: Beat butter and brown sugar. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and brown sugar. Beat at medium speed until the butter is fluffy and the sugar has melted slightly into the butter.
STEP 2: Add the icing sugar. Add the icing sugar to the butter mixture, and beat until combined.
STEP 2: Add the cream cheese. Add the cubed cream cheese to the icing sugar mixture and beat at low speed until combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and mix again at high speed until light a fluffy. Do not overmix.
STEP 3: Add vanilla, milk, and cinnamon. Add the vanilla, milk, and cinnamon to the cream cheese mixture, and beat again until light and fluffy. Fill a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle with the frosting.
STEP 4: Decorate. Use a cupcake corer to remove the center of the cupcakes, and fill the cavity with the cooled pecan mixture. Pipe a swirl of buttercream onto each cupcake, and decorate the cupcakes with whole pecans, the extra pecan mixture, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Hint: Always allow cupcakes to cool completely before decorating them.
Equipment
For these easy pecan cupcakes, you will need x2 12-hole cupcake tins, 24x paper cupcake cases, a wire rack for cooling, a disposable large piping bag, a piping nozzle, and an electric mixer.
I always use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to make the buttercream as they help ensure a fluffy frosting.
Storage
Cupcakes cool quickly and dry out just as quickly so try to frost them the same day that they are baked. If you don’t have time to decorate the cupcakes the same day as baking them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays in plastic wrap until the next day.
For any frosted leftover cupcakes, store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
To freeze these cupcakes, place any leftover cupcakes in a freezer-safe air-tight container and freeze them for up to three months. Defrost properly before eating.
Top tip
Follow my top tips below to ensure you are baking the perfect pecan cupcakes!
- Always use an oven thermometer to check the actual temperature of your oven.
- Never overfill the cupcake cases, ⅔'s is enough.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them.
- Make sure your frosting is light and fluffy before adding it to a piping bag, otherwise, keep on beating it!
FAQ
The eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren’t sure if you have the same eggs – weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
Check the temperature of your oven and make sure you haven’t overfilled the cupcake cases. Overfilling the cases can result in misshapen cupcakes.
Checking the actual temperature of your oven with an oven thermometer and adjusting the temperature accordingly will solve this issue.
I hope you give these delicious pecan pie cupcakes a try! And if you do please leave a comment and star review below – I would love to hear from you!
Remember to follow along at @with_love_kitty to make sure you never miss a new recipe!
Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Pecan Pie Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2x 12-hole cupcake pans
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 120 ml sunflower oil
- 250 g white sugar
- 3 eggs extra large
- 290 g self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 270 ml milk whole
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pecan Pie Filling
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 tablespoon water
- 30 g maple syrup
- 50 g muscovado sugar
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 g pecans chopped
Brown Sugar Frosting
- 50 g muscovado sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 500 g icing sugar
- 250 g cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon milk whole
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 24 cupcake cases into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
- Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Sift together the salt, baking powder, and flour then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
- Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a jug, and slowly pour this into the cake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
- Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a jug or ice cream scoop, filling each case two-thirds of the way up the paper liners. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Pecan Filling
- In a small bowl combine the cornflour and water, and stir to dissolve the flour into the water.
- Add the brown sugar, butter, maple syrup, cornflour mixture, and vanilla to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and the sugar to dissolve, while stirring occasionally.
- Add the chopped pecans to the sugar mixture and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Brown Sugar Frosting
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and brown sugar. Beat at medium speed until the butter is fluffy and the sugar has melted slightly into the butter.
- Add the icing sugar to the butter mixture, and beat until combined.
- Add the cubed cream cheese to the icing sugar mixture and beat at low speed until combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and mix again at high speed until light a fluffy. Do not overmix.
- Add the vanilla, milk, and cinnamon to the cream cheese mixture, and beat again until light and fluffy. Fill a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle with the frosting.
- Use a cupcake corer to remove the center of the cupcakes, and fill the cavity with the cooled pecan mixtures. Pipe a swirl of buttercream onto each cupcake, and decorate the cupcakes with whole pecans and the extra pecan mixture, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
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