Drunken Butter Rum Cupcakes

Ingredients

for the Cupcakes

• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes

• 1 (18 1/2 ounce) box butter recipe cake mix (or yellow if you cant find it)
• 1 3/4 ounces vanilla instant pudding mix (about half a standard packet)
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk, cold
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup dark rum

for the Butter Rum Glaze

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark rum

for the Rum Buttercream frosting

• 16 ounces confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons dark rum, plus up to 2 tablespoons more, as needed

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. 2

   Line muffin pan with paper liners.

3. 3

   Toast pecan and coconut over medium heat in a dry skillet for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

4. 4

   Combine all cake ingredients in a large stainless steel bowl. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Stir in pecans and coconut flake mixture reserving about 1/3 cup for garnishing later.

5. 5

   Pour batter into prepared cups.

6. 6

   Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center completely clean.

7. 7

   Place on a cooling rack. Prick top of cupcakes with toothpick. ALLOW TO COOL COMPLETELY.

8. 8

   For glaze:.

9. 9

   Melt butter in saucepan.

10. 10

    Stir in 1/4 cup of the rum and sugar.

11. 11

    Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.

12. 12

    Stir in remaining 1/4 cup of rum.

13. 13

    For Frosting:.

14. 14

    Before starting, place your stainless steel bowl and the arms for mixer into the freezer, for about 5 minutes. The cold bowl and arms form stiffer peaks in your frosting.

15. 15

    In large bowl, with mixer at medium-low speed, beat sugar, butter, vanilla, and 4 tablespoons rum until blended.

16. 16

    Increase speed to medium-high; beat until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

17. 17

    Beat in more rum as needed for desire consistency for frosting.

18. 18

    To finish cupcakes:.

19. 19

    Dip tops of cupcakes into Butter Rum Glaze and allow excess to drop off before placing back down. This part can get a bit messy.

20. 20

    Pipe on dollops of frosting, I usually leave some of the cupcake showing cause the glaze is so shiny and pretty.

21. 21

    Drizzle a small amount of remaining drizzle over top of frosting. Sprinkle with remaining pecan and coconut.