Fabulously Sweet

A Dash of This & A Pinch of That

I have wanted to bake something with bacon for awhile now, so I finally broke down and decided to use this savory ingredient in the form of a cupcake. Searching for example recipes was a little frustrating; there wasn’t too many out there in cyber-space and the majority I found were very similar. So in the end I found two that I liked.

I combined the two recipes to create this heavenly bacon dessert and found a yummy maple cream cheese frosting recipe, which seemed to fit since maple is a ‘must’ with bacon in my opinion. I will place a link to both recipes, but below you’ll find my ‘tweaked’ version which I hope you will try out and enjoy!

They turned out fabulous and although friends and family seemed unsure, they kept going back for more!

I also want to point out that I made them mini-cupcakes with thoughts that the hesitation of most people towards this delectable little treat might be overlooked by the ‘harmlessness’ of this small, bite-size cake. And, I was right. Most everyone was willing to ‘try’ it, because of the size. So my ‘slaving’ over frosting & decorating 80 mini cupcakes late Sunday night came to be well worth it!

Below you’ll find the recipe and some photos, courtesy of my Mother, with teachers at Jesse Scott Elementary enjoying these ‘Fabulously Sweet’ Treats!

Bacon Maple Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

yield: 24 cupcakes or 80 mini-cupcakes

Ingredients
For the Bacon Maple Cupcakes
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, slightly softened,cut into chunks
1/2 tablespoon bacon drippings (left in the fridge to become solid)
2 cups pure maple syrup (I used grade A but any grade will suffice; must be ‘pure’ maple syrup)
3 egg yolks
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups whole milk (I used 2%)
1/4 cup of minced bacon, cooked and drained (use any left-over bacon, chop, and use as topping)
2 tablespoons raw or organic brown sugar for decorating 

•••••••••••••••

Make bacon ahead of time, drain the drippings and refrigerate to solidify.
TIP: Bake the bacon vs. frying; This is a healthier way of preparing. Bake at 400 degrees F, for 10-14 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening until combined. Turn the mixer to low and stream in the maple syrup. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is nearly uniform in color, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg yolks and egg, one at a time, and beat until just incorporated. (I like to save the remaining egg whites and make a lovely meringue for another treat!) Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Stream in the milk. Add the rest of the flour until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and fold in the minced bacon.

Fill the prepared cupcake pan about three-quarters full. Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. Note: These cupcakes take longer to bake than traditional cupcakes due to the maple syrup.

Allow the cupcakes to cool in the cupcake pan, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.

•••••••••••••••

For the Cream Cheese Maple Frosting
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (more if needed)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (You can add more if needed. Just be sure to add more sugar to thicken)

make the cream cheese maple frosting
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter until it is completely smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined; it should be creamy and smooth.

Add the sugar and the maple syrup and beat until incorporated. Be careful not to overbeat the frosting or it will lose structure. (tightly cover the frosting and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Let soften at room temperature before using.)

Pipe on or spread using a butter knife. The frosting is fairly thick, so if piping, make sure it has softened before using.
Top with remaining minced bacon and raw sugar and enjoy!

 

Recipes Referenced:

http://thefreshfridge.com/2011/02/maple-bacon-cupcakes/

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/maple-cupcakes-from-baked-explorations-cookbook-recipe-128758

Miss Sweet On November - 10 - 2011

3 Responses so far.

  1. Sheila Ford says:

    Wow, the idea of salt and sweet always sounds yummy to me, and while I might not try a large Bacon Maple cupcake, I sure wish I could have sampled one of these mini yummy looking ones.

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