Apple and Pecan Blondies

Why you may ask am I up at 8:30am....having been up since 6am baking an apple cake? You may also ask why I was up until nearly midnight last night making a mudcake with buorbon frosting? And whilst your there you may as well ask why I will be up rather late tonight making two versions of my much loved yoghurt cake....well to be honest I'm asking myself the same thing....but all will be revealed...hopefully...in the next few days!

When I first came across this post over at Cookies and Cups I just had to make it. The original recipe had toffee bits in if, but I thought I would try them with crushed pecans instead.

These blondies are delicious, the chunks of apple and pecan are just beautiful and they disappeared in a flash at work yesterday!!


Apple and Pecan Blondies
150g butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tspn vanilla
2 cups plain flour
2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
1 large apple peeled and diced
1/2 cup pecan pieces and 12 whole pecan halves

Preheat oven to 180C and line and grease a slice tin.

Cream the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mixing until just combined.

Now STIR in the chopped apples and pecan pieces....I tried to mix them in with my electric mixer...turned my back for 5 seconds and when I turned back around I was attacked with bits of flying apple! It wasn't pretty...

Spread the mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the center is set.

And while it cools you can make the brown sugar frosting!

60g butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup milk
1 cup icing sugar

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth.

Allow the blondies to cool completely before frosting and slicing.

I topped each slice with one of the pecan halves :)

Now I'm going back to bed...with a warm piece of apple cake and a cup of coffee....

Em x