Turtle Cupcakes

Is it “Girls Night Out”?!
Do you need a treat your girlfriends will appreciate?
Through the years of treat sharing, I’ve noted that a “turtle” dessert is most favored among female recipients. Apparently the true appreciation of the combination of caramel, chocolate and pecans requires a refinement of the taste buds.
In my youth, I avoided all things with nuts.—why?
Well, one year I remember a thin box on top of the refrigerator. I saw my mom return it there one afternoon. I asked the contents thereof- she simply distracted me. I soon returned to the empty kitchen. As I reached for the thin box of “Sees Candies” my mom’s radar kicked into superhero mode and she was quickly upon me as I opened the box.
“You won’t like them!” she quipped
“I think I will!” was my rebuttal.
“No! You won’t. She strongly replied- “There’s nuts in them.”
And that was convincing enough for me.
Somewhere along in my adulthood, perhaps my sophomore year at college when I learned that I love Snickers Bars, I realized the truth.
Today we are bringing together chocolate, caramel, and pecans in a favorable cupcake treat.

Turtle Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Fudge frosting
Mini Chocolate chips
Caramel Sauce
Chopped Pecans
Chocolate Glaze
Begin with a batch of Yummy In My Tummy Chocolate Cake batter, omitting chips, if desired. Bake batter in lined cupcake pans for 15+ minutes.
Pipe chocolate frosting onto the cooled cupcake. I’ve been experimenting with fudgy frostings and haven’t found anything I love yet. Thus in the meantime, I use a boxed mix requiring milk and butter. I decrease the milk by about 30% allowing the frosting stiffness. Today, I piped it using a contraption broken a bit, held together by duct tape. It was a pain. Next time, I’ll just use a freezer strength Ziploc, with or without a “tip” attached.
Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips onto still wet frosting. If you are using a tip, and your progress seems slow, frost six cupcakes, then sprinkle chips and repeat. Next, drizzle with caramel topping. I prefer Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel Sauce piped from a freezer strength Ziploc. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Finish off with a couple of swirls of chocolate glaze, drizzled from a freezer strength Ziploc.

Now call some girlfriends to get together, or prepared to be highly favored by whomever you choose to share with :)