Cappucino Cupcakes

Well, Saturday was a great cupcake selling day, as a matter of fact we sold out. Since I forgot my camera and I had none to take home there will be no photo of the cupcakes this week. To make up for it, next week I will make some really interesting cupcakes. As a matter of fact, if anyone has a request or challenge, I'd love to know what it is. (You can contact me through email, in my profile.)
Saturday was one of the tastiest work days in a long time, Tomeq, who is the Chocolatier from Alchemy of Angels, came in to give a chocolate making demonstration. He had the most exquisit chocolates with him; raspberry cognac, arpicot brandy, rolled truffels, cashew and maple truffles. Paulette and I ate so many chocolate and cupcake samples we were sugar high. Laura was a little better behaved. We bought a few packs of truffles as well, now I wish I had bought more.
He suggested I try selling down at the local farmers market in Anapolis and offered to take some of my cakes down some time. It's so generous of him, I'm thrilled. Tamara keeps saying she has to get me into the market here. I think I need to take the cupcakes to the street.

Hazelnut-Vanilla Cake with Toasted Pecans

100g of Toasted Pecans
2 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 1/2 tsps Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (room temp')
1 1/2 Cups sugar
5 Free Run Eggs (room temp')
1 cup Buttermilk (room temp)
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 tsps Hazelnut extract
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Set oven to rack to middle, preheat tp 300f. On a baking sheet or in the fry pan toast the pecans, they will burn easily when you smell them they are done. Set aside. Sift together the dry. Cream the butter, add the sugar gradually until it looks light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, blending to encorporate slowly and briefly after each addition.
Using a spatula to fold together the buttermilk and dry mixture in separate batches, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Fold in the pecans. Fill the cupcake pan.These take about 20 mins to cook, but check them before that time.

Cappucino Frosting

1 Cup Fresh Butter
3 1/2 Cups Icing Sugar
2 Shots of Espresso (or a little more)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tsps Meringue Powder

WHIP until fluffy and delicious!