Anyone else have deep nostalgia for summer garage sales that start early in unfolding crisp July mornings when the sun is way ahead of everyone else sleeping in on a Sunday but as a nine year old, the most profitable day of the year is about to commence? Growing up in Eagle Point, Oregon, we had great garage sales – at least one big one a year, usually in July or August, on a weekend when the summer heat pulled neighbors from their air conditioned living rooms to shout hellos across the street or meander through the maze of tarps, folding tables, and drive ways covered in memory-soaked legos, stuffed animals, dusty glassware and casserole dishes and the occasional trunk or rocking chair – all content with moving on to a new owner after the exchange of a few quarters or folded bills. I’m sure many little sales reps got their start hawking hot wheels on the pavement or helping their parents watch over the money box in a particularly lucrative yard sale or two.
My sister and I played the side game: we had our own little folding table we would struggle to carry out of the spider-web-ridden garage and prop up just on the edge of the sidewalk, under the shade of the tree-house tree, between unsuspecting walkers and neighbor kids, and the treasures of the garage sale behind us. The freshest part of the morning was always for getting the sale set up: organizing wares by department (clothing, kitchenware, holiday decorations in boxes, shelves and chairs needing sanding or a new coat of paint). But once the tarps were all carefully covered with sellable goods, we would rush back in the cool front door and dump a couple of cake mixes into a big mixing bowl, add in the two eggs and milk and oil, stir up as vigorously as a 4th and 1st grader could, and then pop the cupcakes in the oven. These were our secret sauce of garage sales: cupcakes for 50 cents each. Kendgie and I made a killing every year. Had I known I would need all those quarters for laundry in my 20s, I might have saved them, but we undoubtedly spent them all on the giant box of legos from the other neighbor’s garage sale down the street the same day (and boy was that a good purchase).
At this point, you’ve completely forgotten what recipe you came here for, but all the above to say: our favorite cupcakes to make for those garage sale bake sale mornings, were the Betty Crocker Butter Pecan cake mix variety (and maybe the devils food chocolate ones too – those went over well with the locals). This was, as you can imagine, pre-Celiac-testing days, back when stomach aches seemed normal and we each ate 3-4 of those divine little sugar bombs when sales were slow. Now, nearly twenty years later, I can still remember the glee of cupcake mornings, and the rush to refill the lemonade pitcher (because obviously, if you give a garage sale neighbor a cupcake, they’re going to ask for a 25 cent dixi cup of lemonade). And in the spirit of being stuck inside with oodles of time to drift off into the nostalgia of hazy summers in rural southern Oregon, I decided that butter pecan was going to make a come back (gluten free this time, obviously).
So, here you go. This is my grown up version of a childhood classic – a bit more work than a boxed mix but just as good all the same. Maybe they’ll remind you of standing on tiptoe on the kitchen stool as an under-10-year-old too, mixing up some version of pancakes or cookies or mystery soup with the entire contents of the spice cupboard. If you’re craving cupcakes like we are, check out our other recent recipes like these chocolate raspberry cupcakes or lemon ricotta ones a la Kendra. If you’re just a butter pecan fan, may we suggest our browned butter and pecan shortbread too. Whatever you make, may it be reminiscent of your childhood favorites. Stay well, everyone!
Gluten Free Butter Pecan Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 Cupcake trays
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 Cup browned salted butter instructions below
- 1 Cup white sugar
- 1/2 Cup brown sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 Cup buttermilk
- 1/2 Cup sour cream
- 2 1/2 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum
- 1/2 Cup almond flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 Cups finely chopped toasted pecans instructions below
For the frosting:
- 1 Cup browned salted butter, chilled instructions below
- 1 Cup salted butter room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 3 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 Cup ground toasted pecans instructions below
Instructions
- First, brown the butter (for both the frosting and the cupcakes – 2 cups). In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt all of the butter and stir constantly until melted and simmering. Continue to simmer, on medium heat, for at least a few minutes, until the popping and hissing sounds have completely subsided (this is the water in the butter burning off – you’ll know once it’s silent). Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the butter reaches a deep amber color and smells nutty or caramelly. Once it reaches that color, immediately take off the burner and let sit until cool (or pop in the fridge to cool faster). You can separate out 1 cup of the browned butter (be sure to scrape up the brown bits at the bottom!) and pour into a large mixing bowl for the cupcakes, then continue to chill the remaining cup in the fridge for the frosting.
- Next, toast the pecans. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Spread whole, unsalted pecans on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the nuts are a bit darker, dry, and smell fragrant (be careful not to let them burn!). Remove and let cool, then chop into small bits.
- Keep the oven on, and grease two 12-cupcake pans with either butter or cooking spray, or line with paper cupcake cups. In the large mixing bowl with the slightly cooled browned butter, add in the white and brown sugar and cream together with an electric mixer. Add in the vanilla, buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs and continue to beat until fully combined. Dump in all of the dry ingredients (flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt) and stir together until combined. Fold in the 2 1/2 cups of finely chopped toasted pecans, until combined. Spoon batter into lined cupcake pans (should be nearly to all of the way full). Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting (or frosting will melt).
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. In a large clean mixing bowl, combine the chilled remaining browned butter with the plain, room temp, salted butter and cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, and vanilla, and continue to beat until smooth. Then, blitz up the remaining toasted pecan bits into a flour (do not blitz for too long or you'll end up with pecan butter). Add in the ground toasted pecans and beat until combined. Once cupcakes are cool, fill a piping back with frosting, or use a butterknife to slather frosting on cupcakes. And eat!
Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your cupcakes!
Food photography and styling by Amelia Farber
One Comment
Luke
Unreal!! Third week in a row getting cupcakes and I don’t regret it one bit.