Sweet and Savory Cupcake Stuffing

Yesterday, I shared a recipe for cupcake stuffing made directly in the Thanksgiving turkey.  Some of you (including Huff Post!) loved the idea, while others were a bit put off by the thought.  Today, I'm sharing a completely different take on cupcake stuffing - one with less shock value and greater crowd appeal.  This sweet and savory cupcake stuffing (technically called dressing since it's prepared out of the bird) is made with ultimate vanilla cupcakes, chopped apples, pecans, dried cranberries, and butternut squash soup. 

Cupcake stuffing is unlike any stuffing you've had and yet, with its mash-up of fall flavors, it feels right at home on the Thanksgiving table.  Plus, cupcake stuffing is a great excuse to serve cupcakes with the main meal; if marshmallows can appear atop sweet potato casserole, there's no reason the stuffing can't be made of cupcakes. 

Cupcake Stuffing Recipe

Yield: A small baking dish filled with stuffing (mine was 10.25"W x 9.13"D x 4.31"H)

Ingredients:

• 12 unfrosted vanilla cupcakes
• 2 apples, roughly chopped
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3 cups butternut squash soup (I used store-bought soup, but you could easily opt to make homemade butternut squash soup)

 Directions:

1. Remove cupcakes from the liners and cut each cupcake into six pieces.
2. Set cupcake pieces out on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.
3. Bake at 275 F for 40 minutes or until cupcakes begin to brown and feel crispy on the outside.  Remove from the oven.
4. Heat oven to 350 F.
5. In a large mixing bowl, gently mix toasted cupcakes with all other ingredients.
6. Transfer contents of the mixing bowl to a baking dish and cover.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes or until top is lightly browned.
9. Serve warm.