Sweet Cheeks Cupcakes

This is another creation derived from Pineapple Pretzel Salad leftovers, and I really enjoy these cupcakes (although I'm so full from eating all weekend that the thought of food is not quite appealing.) I'm extremely proud of these cupcakes because I took another recipe that called for cream cheese in the batter and completely revamped it ... the only ingredients that remained the same were the baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla. These are a sweet, moist cupcake topped with an extremely sweet frosting and a pleasantly crunchy, sweet and salty pretzel.

Sweet Cheeks Cupcakes
1 cup white flour
3/4 cup graham (or wheat) flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups Pineapple Pretzel Salad
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup splenda
2 Tbsp. brown sugar splenda
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup honey
Candied pretzels (optional, but delicious)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 15 muffin tins. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

Using mixer, whip Pineapple Pretzel Salad until smooth. Add oil, egg, honey, splendas, juice and vanilla. Mix together well. Slowly add dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks.

For frosting, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in honey. Frost cupcakes in spiral pattern. Just before serving cupcakes, top with candied pretzel pieces. Makes 15 cupcakes.