• Prepare your yellow cupcakes and bake according to the recipe you have or the box mix you are using.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Prepare Pecan Pie Filling

• Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread your pecans in a thin layer on your prepared cookie sheet. Toast the pecans for 8-10 minutes until they start smelling nutty. Be careful not to leave them in too long, or they'll burn!
• Place a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Melt the butter and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Avoid letting the mixture boil.
• Add in the maple syrup, heaving cream and a pinch of salt. Keep stirring until smooth.
• Add the pecans in last and let them soak in the buttery, sugary mixture for about 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.
• Remove pan from the heat, and set filling aside. You'll want the filling to be room temperature before you try to fill your cupcakes.

Prepare Browned Butter Maple Frosting

• Brown your butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Start by melting the butter. Then, your butter will start to foam and froth. Next, the foaming will stop, and you may see white flecks of solidified milk fat floating around in your pan. Finally, the foam and forth will come back a little. Move your foam and froth aside so you can see into the pan. When you see dark brown flecks, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.
• After your browned butter has cooled, put it in a heat-safe dish. Place that dish in the fridge to cool completely. You want your butter to be solid again before making frosting with it.
• You can wait to mix your frosting until your cupcakes are filled if you wish to. This is what I do!
• To mix the frosting, just place the chilled browned butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream in a large mixing bowl. Mix until it forms a smooth frosting mixture.
• If your frosting seems too thick, add more milk or heavy cream by the tablespoon until you reach your desired consistency.

Assemble Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Browned Butter Maple Frosting

• Once your cupcakes and pecan pie filling have cooled completely, use a cupcake corer to remove the center from all of your cupcakes.
• Carefully fill each cupcake with the pecan pie filling. You will probably have some filling leftover.
• Put your browned butter maple frosting in a piping bag with a tip, and pipe onto your filled cupcakes.