Windy with cupcake gusts

We were invited to a party with the request to bring cupcakes.  Apparently that is all people were asked to bring.  When we got there I couldn't believe my eyes!  It was cupcake madness! 

There were black forest, German chocolate, chocolate with peanut butter frosting, very small ones and even one VERY large one.  There were several lovelies that I adored and had to take pictures of. 

the center is an oreo cookie!

So I devised a plan: a couple of friends and I took it upon ourselves to sample as many as possible by  splitting them up amongst ourselves.  It was the least we could do and the most we could eat before going into a diabetic coma (not funny but a true possibility).  It seems I won the cupcake jackpot so... I was pretty happy.  Still am. 

Blondie Cupcakes

I made 'Blondie Cupcakes' with classic cream cheese frosting.   I've never made these but found that they were really easy to make with a few basic ingredients.  Some of my favorites?  Toffee bits, butterscotch chips and cashews.  To be honest, they were good but not my favorite.  I was just happy to have a reason to make a new cupcake. Here's the recipe if you want to try these babies out.

Blondie Cupcakes

Makes 12

• 1 and 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temp.
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temp
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped (3 ounces)
• 1/4 cup toffee bits

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Line standard muffin tin with paper liners.  Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

2.  With an electric mixer on medium- high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture- beat until incorporated.  Fold in butterscotch chips, toffee bits and cashews by hand.

3.  Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown and cake tester inserted comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached (but is not wet) , about 30 minutes ( I would say 25).  Transfer tin to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes.  Cupcakes can be stored up to 5 days at room temperature in airtight containers.