Indie Fixx is one of my favorite blogs, I can always count on it to find great crafts, style ideas, and recipes!  Just in time for Thanksgiving, I noticed this unique cupcake recipe for squash and chocolate swirled cupcakes with orange cream cheese frosting and candied pecans. These cupcakes, as the author explains, will make a nice alternative to the traditional holiday dessert, pecan pie.  The recipe for the cupcakes is included below but for the toppings be sure to check out  the original post on Indie Fixx!

Squash and Chocolate Swirled Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting & Candied Pecans

Note: Most any roasted pureed winter squash would be wonderful. You could, of course, used canned pumpkin but your homegrown buttercup, butternut, or other winter squash would be just as lovely.

¾ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Squash Batter:

¾ cup roasted & pureed winter squash
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Chocolate Batter:

½ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers.
2. Sift together the dry ingredients for the squash batter into a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Sift together the ingredients for the chocolate batter into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
4. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Pour half of this batter into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients for the chocolate batter. Set the chocolate batter aside for the moment.
5. Add the pureed squash to the batter remaining in the first bowl. Mix well. Add the sifted dry squash ingredients and beat until everything is well combined, set aside.
6. Beat together the ingredients for the chocolate batter until thoroughly combined.
7. Fill your cupcake papers by alternating layers of pumpkin and chocolate batters in each cup. Fill the cups about 3/4th full. You can swirl the batters by running a knife through the batter, as well.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
9. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. While the cupcakes cool, make the candied pecans and frosting.