Pecan cupcakes

Ingredients for 12 servings:

• 200 g double cream cheese
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• 200 g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 50 g butter, melted
• 100 g flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 50 g nuts (pecans), roughly chopped
• 70 g butter, soft
• 2 tbsp milk
• 100 g powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• some nuts (pecan halves)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

with cream cheese frosting

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Line a muffin tin with paper baking cups. Beat the cream cheese with the vanilla sugar and 50g of sugar until creamy, then chill. Beat the eggs until frothy, then add the remaining sugar and beat until creamy. Stir in the melted butter. Mix the flour and cocoa powder and sift them into the egg mixture. Mix briefly, then stir in the nuts by hand. Divide half of the batter between the muffin cups and smooth the surface. Then spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto each cup and cover with the remaining batter. Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes, then let them cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, for the frosting, heat the milk in a small saucepan and melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. If the frosting remains too soft, stir in more powdered sugar. Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes or pipe it on with a piping bag. Then decorate with a pecan half and refrigerate until ready to eat.