Hazelnut Cupcakes

I knew that I wanted to make some kind of cupcake with the hazelnut butter I had made, but I couldn't find any kind of recipies for what I wanted.  So I started looking for recipeies with peanut butter that I could repalce with the hazelnut butter.  This is a Paula Deen recipe from Food Network for a Peanut Butter Cake that I altered to make into what I wanted.  They were delicious!!!

Though I usually go eggless, I didn't worry about it with these.  The main reason being that J is now allergic to tree nuts as well, so he wouldn't be able to eat them anyway.  I got him a candy bar to eat while we ate these.


Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I crushed mine in the food processor until they were as fine as flour - it took about 18 graham crackers)
3/4 cup Hazelnut butter
1/2 cup butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Add graham cracker crumbs, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla. Beat mixture with electric mixer on low until moistened, and then beat on medium for 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat for 1 minute. 
3. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.  Fill each cup approximately 2/3 of the way up.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. I frosted them with a chocolate butter cream frosting and they were delicious!