Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes-the new favorite from Christmas baking

So good, you don't even need the icing!

Cupcakes
2/3 c butter
2 eggs
2 1/2 c all-purp flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c brown sugar, packed
1/3 c finely chopped pecans
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c milk

Creamy Butter Frosting
1 c softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
dash salt
4 c + 4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c + 2 to 3 tbsp whipping cream

Cupcakes:
1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty-six regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl stir together brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, 1/4 c at a time, beating on medium speed until combined and scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes more until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. (Batter may look curdled.)

3. Spoon about 1 tbsp of the batter into each prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle about 1 tsp of the brown sugar mixture over batter in each cup. Spoon the remaining batter evenly over brown sugar mixture in the cups. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture evenly over batter in cups.

4. Bake for 18-20 mins or until wooden toothpick insrted in centers of muffins comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin pans for 10 minutes. Remove cups from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Pipe or spread frosting onto cupcakes. Note-if all of the cupcakes do not fit into oven at the same time, store remaining batter in fridge while first batch bakes.

Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl beat 1 c softened butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla and dash of salt. Gradually add 4 c powdered sugar, beating until combined. Beat in 1/4 c whipping cream. Beat in 4 c additional powdered sugar. Beat in 2 to 3 tbsp additional whipping cream until frosting is light and fluffy and reaches spreading or piping consistencey.