Butterscotch Cupcakes with Pecan Butter Topping and Chocolate Chips

Butterscotch frosting has been on my list of "to do" for quite some time. Since we try to balance out the amount of vegan goodies in our house, it simmered on the back burner.

Each year on what would have been my son Oliver's birthday, we celebrate his short life spending the day as a family visiting his the park bench we donated in his honor. Along with that, we always have a cupcake or small cake to celebrate his life.

I used my "go to" chocolate cake recipe often referred to as Crazy or Wacky Cake. It's history goes back to the first World War when eggs, butter, and milk were being rationed.

Crazy or Wacky Cake

3 cups unbleached flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 heaping cup cocoa

1 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

 3/4 cup vegetable Oil

 2 cups water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt. 
3. Add remaining wet ingredients with dry ones and mix. Do not over mix. 
4. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. 
5. Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 
6. Once cooled frost with Butterscotch frosting.
7. Next drizzle with pecan butter icing and add mini chocolate chips as sprinkles.

Butterscotch Frosting

3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

8 oz. butterscotch chips

1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or margarine, softened

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 tsp vanilla extract

2-3 Tbsp soy milk, almond or coconut milk

1. Beat margarine and shortening until fluffy.
2. Add vanilla extract and soy milk, then beat again until fluffy. 
3. Slowly add confectioners sugar, mixing after adding it, 1/2 cup at a time, until creamy. 
4. Melt butterscotch chips in the microwave, by putting it into a glass bowl and microwaving in one minute increments until fully melted. It should be thicker than melted chocolate (it won't drizzle).*
5. Add to frosting after cooling two minutes. Beat until fluffy, it should be about 10 minutes to fluff up the frosting.(add more sugar and/or soy milk if you need it, until you get the right texture). 
6. Generously pipe or spread onto completely cooled cupcakes.

*Please note the texture of the frosting may change after adding warm butterscotch chips, this means it was too warm. Continue beating, as the correct texture will develop upon cooling.

Pecan Butter Drizzle Icing

2 Tbsp. pecan butter

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. soy, almond, or coconut milk

1. In a small glass bowl, whip together all ingredients using a whisk.
2. Add extra powdered sugar or soy/almond/coconut milk to achieve a thicker drizzling consistency.