Maple French Toast Bacon Cupcakes

I have to admit I've jumped on the bandwagon and crossed over to the dark side and absolutely love the new trend combining desserts with bacon. This recipe is from the Food Network but it is absolutely incredibly! It's totally the combination of Sweet & Salty that gets me every time!

For the Cupcakes:

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 cup cake flour

·         1 3.9-ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1 tablespoon potato starch

·         1 teaspoon cinnamon

·         1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

·         1/4 cup granulated sugar

·         1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         4 large egg whites, at room temperature

·         1/4 cup maple syrup

·         1/2 cup half-and-half, at room temperature

·         1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon (5 strips)

 

For the Frosting:

·         1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

·         2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

·         1/4 cup maple syrup

·         2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

·         3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Prepare the cupcakes: Combine the flours, pudding mix, baking powder, potato starch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl with a whisk.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars with a mixer on low speed until combined, 6 to 8 minutes. Gradually mix in the vanilla and egg whites. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; continue mixing until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the maple syrup and half-and-half, mixing after each addition and ending with flour. Mix until the ingredients are just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the bacon.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about three-quarters of the way. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool completely.

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

I think Homer Simpson said it best when he said, "mmmm....move over eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend....fudge." Bacon has got to be one of the most underutilized, under-appreciated amazing delicious ingredients in desserts. It may be going a little against the grain with the low fat, low carb, gluten-free, vegan craze our culture's experiencing but where would we be if we never stepped outside the norm every now and then.

Ingredients

CUPCAKES:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon imitation maple flavoring

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup cooked bacon chopped into bits

FROSTING:

3 tablespoons maple syrup

4 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cupcakes, beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine milk and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Mix in bacon.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350° for 17-22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare the frosting, beat 3 tablespoons maple syrup and butter at medium speed of a mixer 1 minute. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating just until blended (do not overbeat). Spread the frosting over cupcakes.