Recipe Two

For my second recipe, I thought I would invite my husband into the cupcake relationship :). He like many people, especially men love..... you guessed it... BACON!  This treat was created for dessert for our Alabama vs. LSU National Championship hang out.  I tried to put a manly twist on it.  What else is there to make for a bunch of men but.. Maple Bacon cupcakes! 



Maple Bacon Cupcake

On this recipe I doubled up to make 24 cupcakes, as there was a complaint last week that they only got one little cupcake each.



Bacon Maple Cupcakes

Ingredients
* 4 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
* 1/2 tablespoon bacon drippings (left in the fridge to become solid)
* 1 egg
* 5 tablespoons brown sugar
* 4 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 1/4 cups self rising flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* tiny tiny pinch kosher salt
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/4 cup of minced bacon, cooked and drained
What you’ll do–
* 1) Cook some bacon in a fry pan (I used regular cut, hickory smoked). Reserve the drippings and place in the fridge to solidify. Mince 1/4 a cup of the bacon.
* 2) Beat the crud out of the butter and solidified bacon fat ’till light and creamy. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and beat well until combined.
* 3) Add the egg and beat until incorporated.
* 4) Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder together.
* 5) Add some of the flour and mix, then some of the milk, then continue to alternate the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the bacon. Taste and add more maple syrup, flour, or milk if needed for desired taste. Keep in mind the maple frosting is very sweet, and to add in very small increments for alterations as maple syrup in large amounts can break a cake batter. ( I didn't add any extra.. once you put the icing on it's sweet enough to me!)
* 6) Scoop into cupcake papers and bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes for even baking.

(the hubby chopped and crumbled the bacon for me while I started on the batter, it made things a lot quicker)

Maple Syrup Frosting

Ingredients
* 4 tablespoons of butter.
* 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
* 1 cup of powdered sugar.
* turbinado sugar (optional, but recommended).
* coarse grain sea salt (optional, but recommended).
What You’ll Do –
* Combine the syrup and butter until combined. Add the sugar, a bit at a time, and whip at high speeds until combined. Pipe or spread onto cupcakes. Sprinkle on sea salt and turbinado sugar for decoration and a lot of added flavor.
(add some crumbled BACON TOO!)

I didn't use the turbinado sugar (brown sugar in the raw) or the sea salt.

Notes and reviews:

I must  admit, my icing was a complete FAIL... but that was my fault. I forgot to take the butter out so it was room temp, so I stuck it in the microwave for 15 seconds.. it made it too soft and made my icing runny (it still tasted good though).

This one is more like a muffin texture, a little more heavy. The batter is thick. Its a savory sweet cupcake. Not to sweet and just enough salty, to make you more than likely indulge in a second one!  Think of a pancake with bacon cooked in it. I liked this one while the cupcake itself was still a little warm.

There were lots of moaning and groaning coming from the men folk... and anyone in a good relationship can tell the difference in bad moaning and groaning and GOOD moaning... So i would say over all it was another... WIN!