Mississippi Magazines Bourbon-Pecan Cupcakes with Bourbon-Brown Sugar Buttercream

Cupcakes
¼ cup shortening
¼ cup butter, softened to
room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
3 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk
¹/8-¼ cup bourbon
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Bourbon-Brown Sugar Buttercream
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup butter
1-3 tablespoons bourbon
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
toasted pecan halves for garnish

Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat shortening, butter, and light brown sugar at medium speed in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk and bourbon, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in pecans. Beat egg whites at high speed in a medium mixing bowl until stiff. Gently fold whites into the cake batter. Line a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners. Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Bourbon-Brown Sugar Buttercream: While cupcakes are baking, heat light brown sugar, ¼ cup butter, and bourbon
over medium heat in a medium-heavy saucepan, whisking often, until butter melts. Continue to cook until mixture begins to boil; boil one minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and cool completely. In a large mixing bowl, beat one cup softened butter on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the cooled brown sugar bourbon mixture until smooth. Beat in three cups of confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, until smooth. Frost or pipe each cooled cupcake with a generous amount of the frosting. Top each cupcake with a toasted pecan half, if desired. Refrigerate any remaining frosting for another use.
Yield: 18 cupcakes.