Sunday, August 29, 2010

Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes

Apparently the new rage is baking with bacon. (?)  Yes, I said baking with bacon.  Some friends of ours visited a bakery in Boulder, Colorado that sells chocolate bacon cupcakes and of course, I HAD to test them out.  I figured the salty sweet combination would ROCK!  It was unique for sure, but I don't think I will be making these babies again any time soon. 

My only concern with this recipe was baking the bacon INTO the cake batter.  Bacon is supposed to be crispy and I was worried the bacon would become soft during baking.  It did.  I think I would have preferred to ONLY have bacon on top as a garnish.  The chocolate cake recipe without the bacon is AWESOME!!!! 

I used the Hershey's Chocolate Frosting recipe from th back of the Hershey's cocoa box. FREAKING AMAZING!!! I'm not kidding you, this is the BEST chocolate frosting I have EVER had!!!! So if the whole bacon cupcake thing didn't meet my expections, at least I found a killer chocolate cupcake and frosting recipe. ENJOY!


Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
12 slices bacon

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
1 cup cold, strong, brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.


In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, buttermilk and oil. Stir just until blended. Mix in 3/4 of the bacon, reserving the rest for garnish. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting and sprinkle reserved bacon crumbles on top. Dust with additional cocoa powder.
 
"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dynamo Donuts make a Bacon Apple Maple donut where they do the same thing - put some of the bacon in the donut batter (as well as the apples which they cook first in the bacon grease), and the rest of the bacon on top.

That donut was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten. If you dont like the bacon soft - then cook it longer before putting it in the cupcake batter.

Seems like everyone is jumping on the bacon bandwagon these days - which is a good thing because BACON RULES!

rubybean77 said...

Thanks for the feedback, apoch539. I honestly wanted to LOVE this recipe...your suggestion has motivated me to try bacon in other baked goods. Those donuts sound HEAVENLY!