Missouri Black Walnut Cupcakes
from http://www.familycircle.com/

Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon walnut extract
3/4 cup finely chopped black walnut pieces OR: regular walnuts

Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon walnut extract
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup finely chopped black walnuts

Cupcakes:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 cups in standard-size muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt in a bowl.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light colored and smooth, 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, along with extract, beating well after each egg, On low speed, add flour mixture. Stir in nuts. Divide batter among liners, a rounded 1/4 cup each.

Bake in 350 degree F oven 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack; let cool completely.

Frosting:

Beat together butter, sugar, walnut extract and milk in medium-size bowl until smooth. Spread 2 tablespoons over each cupcake. Decorate tops with chopped walnuts.

Cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Nutrition Information for Black Walnut Cupcakes
PER SERVING: 476 cal., 28 g total fat (13 g sat. fat), 88 mg chol., 112 mg sodium, 53 g carb. (1 g fiber), 6 g pro.