Butterscotch Maple Cupcakes with Butterscotch Maple Cream-Cheese Frosting

Fall is coming. Can you feel it?

I sat at my desk last night, listening to a soft rain and memorizing the sounds my boys make as they dream. I had a cinnamon-apple candle burning on the desk beside me, and I had a pair of warm, fuzzy socks on to warm my cool toes. This morning it's gray and chilly outside, and school buses are making their rounds, picking up children wearing layers of bright, new clothes.



Fall is coming. Can you smell it?

I need two cups of coffee today to warm my bones (and hold my eyelids open). It's still dark outside when the alarm goes off now. We went this week to meet Cash's preschool teachers, and our church is preparing for its first Moravian Festival. Every day there are a few more leaves on the grass as the branches shiver and drop them to the ground. Halloween treats are starting to show up in the stores, putting visions of Batman and Robin costumes in my son's head. And if you stop a moment and breathe deeply you may be able to smell the apples ripening on the branches, waiting to be picked and turned into apple butter. 



Fall is coming. Can you taste it?

I couldn't help myself. I needed cake. I needed the sugary, almost-too-sweet taste of butterscotch. And I needed to use these adorable cupcake toppers before I ate them all one by one like candy. Fall, you aren't here yet, but we're ready and waiting, ready to welcome you with open arms. Please don't hurry - there is no need to wish life away, of course - but don't take your time, either.



Did you catch that? My boys? I'm slick like that, dropping it in like it's no thing. Perhaps you've wondered where I've been these past few months. (Or maybe you're a super sleuth and saw that I updated my About Page.) This photo should answer any questions. Meet Hank! He arrived in June, and we're just now getting our groove back. Yes, Cash adores him. We all do! And now, back to the show.

Butterscotch Maple Cupcakes
Adapted from Random Sweetness 
Makes About 2 Dozen Cupcakes
Printer-friendly version

Cake Ingredients
1 butter cake mix
1 package of instant butterscotch pudding
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon maple flavoring

Frosting Ingredients 
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2.5 to 3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/2 cup butterscotch chips, melted and slightly cooled (They should still be stirrable. Is that a word?)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake pan with liners.
2.  In large bowl add cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, oil, eggs and maple flavoring. Mix on medium until well-combined.
3. Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full. Bake about 20 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
4. Cool in pans until you can touch them. Remove and cool completely on wire racks.
5. To make frosting: In large bowl combine cream cheese and butter. Slowly add 2.5 cups of sugar until well incorporated. Mix in melted butterscotch chips and maple flavoring. Add remaining half cup of sugar a bit at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Pipe onto completely cool cupcakes. 

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