Chocolate Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting & Bacon Streusel

Chocolate. Cream cheese. Bacon. Oh my!

I'm on a quest and I'm bacon obsessed.

Two weeks ago I bought three 3-pound packages of bacon on sale, less than $8 a package for what would normally cost almost $12. Nine pounds of delicious thick-sliced, hickory smoked bacon. Once I got them home, I divided each package into three 1-pound packages, vacuumed sealed them (love my Foodsaver!) and tossed them in the freezer.

Okay, Terri, I thought. Now what are you going to do with all of that bacon, besides making bacon and eggs?

Soups? Stews? Cupcakes? Yes, cupcakes. I saw the recipe over at Endless Simmer, pulled one of the those 1-pound packages of bacon out of the freezer and off I went......with just a few little changes.

I didn't have Dutch process cocoa powder for the cupcakes, just a box of Hershey's Cocoa Powder. It would have to do. And I didn't have any sour cream on hand, so I used Greek yogurt instead. It worked fine.

When it came to making the frosting, I was just as ill-prepared. I only had a package of low-fat cream cheese, so that's what I used. And I know when a recipe calls for "maple syrup," it means real maple syrup, not the cheapy stuff, but all I had was the cheapy stuff.  In hindsight, I wish I would have used a touch of maple extract for a more pronounced maple flavor.

I liked the streusel, but I think next time I make these I'm going to decrease the almonds to 1/4 cup and increase the bacon by 2 slices. I just loves me some bacon.

I tried sprinkling the streusel on top of the frosted cupcake, but it didn't adhere as well as I liked. So, instead, I poured the streusel on to a plate and dipped the frosted cupcake into the streusel. Way better. A good amount of streusel stuck to the frosting, which is what I was looking for.

Although I'd make the same substitutions to the recipe, these were yummy.  The cupcakes were tender with a nice chocolatey flavor and the spicy bacon streusel was the perfect contrast to the creamy sweet frosting.


Chocolate Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting & Bacon Streusel
Adapted from Endless Simmer

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup sour cream (I substituted Greek yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and baking soda together and set aside.

In another small bowl, sift together the flour and cocoa powder and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the salt to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until combined. Add in the 2 whole eggs and beat until well combined. Finally, add in the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until well combined.

Set the mixer aside and use a rubber spatula to begin gently folding in the sour cream mixture and flour mixture, alternating each mixture a third at a time, with each addition folding until just combined. Put paper cupcake liners in your cupcake pans and fill them two-thirds full. Bake in preheated oven for 20 - 25  minutes.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

For the Frosting:

• 1 - 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup (I would also add 1/4 teaspoon of maple extract or flavoring)

Using an electric mixer on medium low speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gently mix in the powdered sugar. Start on low or you're going to have powdered sugar all over yourself and slowly increase the speed and beat until smooth and creamy. Add in the vanilla and maple syrup (and maple flavoring, if you are using it) and mix until combined.

For the Bacon Streusel

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cups slivered almonds
• 8 pieces of thick-sliced bacon (cooked, cooled and broken into pieces)

Put all the streusel ingredients into a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse in 2-second bursts three to five times until mixture resembles a very coarse crumble.

The Valentine Cupcakes

Tom and I have been extremely fortunate in that wherever we've lived, for the most part, we've had awesome neighbors. Some have even become good friends.

When we moved from our farm into town five years ago, our next door neighbors on our south side was a young couple without children. Although they were friendly enough, we didn't see much of them. They were a busy couple, involved in work, school and community activities, but we'd say hello and converse when we crossed paths doing yard work on a summer morning. But within a year of our arrival to the neighborhood, they put their house on the market and headed to jobs in the northwest.

A couple of weeks later we met our new neighbors, a tall dark-haired congenial professor of art history and a petite soft-spoken International Programs instructor. Their three daughters ranged in age from about 4-years old to 11-years old, each one very different from the other.

After a frustrating previous summer punctuated by late night under-age alcohol-laden parties to celebrate the high school graduation of another neighbor's offspring, the voices, squeals and laughter of children playing outside in the yard next door was a welcomed addition to our neighborhood.

If you've visited my blog for any length of time, you know that Tom and I cook and bake....a lot. Trust me when I say, I could not, or should I say dare not, eat all of what I prepare. Leftover main dishes, of which there are many, are vacuum bagged and frozen for another meal, sometimes two. Desserts are shared. Well, except for that sickening sweet, nutty, sugary, melt-in-your mouth Cinnamon Roll Cake, which if you will recall we cut into serving pieces and froze. It's probably the only dessert I have not shared.

Anyway, when we do share, our neighbors are our go-to people. And we've had the distinct pleasure of being on the receiving end of their wonderful baked goods as well. And Valentines Day was especially memorable.

The middle daughter (now about 11-years old), I will call her "V", is a vivacious, outgoing young girl with a wonderful smile and a warm approachable nature with people she knows. She's very open and enthusiastic about what foods she loves and is always appreciative of what we share with her and her family. You might remember the sweet card she sent as a thank you for the Ultimate Chocolate Chip 'n' Oreo 'n' Fudge Brownie Bar I needed to get out of the house sent to their house to enjoy.

When the doorbell rang the afternoon of February 14th, I thought it was UPS delivering a package of essential oils I ordered. Instead, it was V's mom with a small white plate graced with two beautifully decorated red and white cupcakes.

It was V's first attempt at baking from scratch. Did they taste as good as they look? In a word...Better. Tender, great crumb, hint of vanilla. Very yummy. We enjoyed every morsel.

I think we have a pastry chef and/or food blogger developing right before our eyes.

Top Five Most Popular Desserts of 2011

When I do my year in review, I don't usually single out a specific category of food because my stat counter doesn't count categories, only general activity and page views relating to specific posts.

But, because many of you have asked specifically for desserts.... well, who am I to question what you like to read about....or is the photos?

No matter. What's that line from the movie? "As you wish..."

So, I gathered all my stats, did the math and came up with the top five desserts that received the most hits during 2011.

Number 5: Chocolate Raspberry Panini - Originally posted February 15, 2009

I made a simple pound cake from a box mix and sliced it. Then I covered one slice of the pound cake with squares of a Hershey bar and topped it with a few raspberries. I used a George Forman grill to brown both sides at the same time, but you could just as easily use a frying pan and brown both sides as you would a grilled cheese sandwich.
The pound cake is like a sweet toast. The chocolate gets all melty and oozey and the fruit is softened and luscious.

All I can say about this is.....Yum!

Number 4: Orange Mascarpone Tart - Originally posted December 26, 2010



We've made many dishes from Bon Appetit magazine and this is one of them.

I love the combination of the creaminess of the mascarpone cheese and the sweet freshness of the orange.

Although the original recipe called for the tart to be sprinkled with chopped pistachios, we didn't think they added much to the flavor of the tart, so the second time Tom made it he merely sprinkled it with shaved chocolate. Better.

Number 3: Sugar Donut Mini-Muffins - Originally posted February 26, 2010



One word: addicting.

You know those two-bite brownies you buy in a bag at the grocery store? Don't buy them. Make these.

Tender little mini-cupcakes with the texture of a moist cake donut, brushed with melted butter and rolled in cinnamon and sugar or even rolled in powdered sugar. Betcha can't eat just one.

Number 2: Oreo Cream Cheese Cupcakes - Originally posted January 30, 2010



What is it about Oreos that elicit such love?

I don't know a faithful blog reader who doesn't collect a cache of recipes containing Oreos.

And every food blogger I know tries to create some new dessert using Oreos. I'm certainly not any different.

I've added crushed Oreos to brownies. I made these Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie 'n' Oreo 'n' Fudge Brownie Bars



And I've even made this Oreo Cookie Cake, the recipe for which I've never posted. But that's another post.



And Number 1 ~ You guessed it: Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie - Originally posted April 27, 2011



Can you say 'sugar induced coma'?

It's still a favorite in many readers' households.

So what's in store for 2012? I'm good at keeping secrets so you'll just have to stay tuned.

Sugar Donut Mini-Muffins

A couple of weeks ago, I ran across a recipe for "Donut Muffins" on another food blog. I printed the recipe, but hesitated to make them because the recipe made 40 muffins, and believe me I don't need 40 muffins at my house.

This week, I found a similar recipe at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice, but the recipe produced a smaller batch and Reeni suggested using mini-muffin tins so you get some sugar with every bite.

I thought 28 little muffins would be better. After all, a little muffin is better portion control. Yes, it's portion control if you eat one little muffin. But how bad can two of those little muffins be? Or even three. Com'on, they're small!

These little guys are dangerously delicious! See those 12 little muffins on the plate...



Those are all that are left of the 28 muffins I baked yesterday! So much for portion control.

Sugar Donut Muffins
(adapted from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice)

For Donuts:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup milk (I used 2% low fat)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Sugar Coating:

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon (if desired)

Note: Use one tray for regular sized muffins (makes about 10 muffins). Use 3 trays for the mini-muffins (makes about 28 mini-muffins).

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease muffin tin(s) with cooking spray or vegetable oil.

In a large bowl, beat together sugar and egg until light in color.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Pour into the egg mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the vegetable oil, milk and vanilla extract.

Divide the batter evenly into 10 muffin cups (about ¾ full) or 28 mini-muffin cups (about ¾ full).

For larger muffins, bake 15-18 minutes, until tester comes out clean. For mini-muffins, bake about 14-15 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

While the muffins are baking, melt the butter in a small bowl. Pour the remaining sugar a separate small bowl and mix with the cinnamon, if you are using it.

When the muffins are done, remove each one from the pan, lightly brush the top, sides and bottom with some melted butter and roll in the sugar mixture. Cool on a wire rack.

Additional Notes:

• I made the mini-muffins as suggested because they were easy to roll and you get a bite of sugar in every bite (Thanks for that tip Cinnamon Girl!!)
• The donuts will not get very golden brown, so be sure to check them even if they don't look done.
• You could also use plain powdered sugar if you like powdered sugar donuts.
• Next time I am going to also try a donut glaze on some of them.

PRINT THE RECIPE HERE

Oreo Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes....Ooooo Baby!

I knew the weather was going to be bad. The meteorologists had been predicting it for days. First sleet, then ice pellets (which I think are still technically considered sleet), then snow. So I went shopping Wednesday morning and picked up the Oreos to make these little babies.

I found these delights at Dishin' and Dishes. Katie adapted the recipe from the book, Martha Stewart's Cupcakes.

The base of the individual cheesecake is a whole Oreo cookie and the cheesecake mixture is punctuated with Oreo cookie pieces. The only change I made to this recipe was drizzling a little chocolate glaze on the top of each cupcake, the method for which I will add at the end.



Oreo Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes
by Terri Powers for Terri's Table
Adapted from Katie Johnstonbaugh of Dishin- & Dishes from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 30 cupcakes.

For the Cupcakes:

• 42 Oreo cookies. Leave 30 cookies whole and coarsely chop 12 cookies. One bag of Oreos is enough.
• 4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (I used "1/3 less fat")
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream (I used "lite" sour cream)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Chocolate Glaze:

• 2 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 275°.

Line 30 muffin tins with paper liners. Place one Oreo cookie in the bottom of each cup.

Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat one minute. Beat in vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in sour cream and salt. Turn mixer to low and mix in chopped cookies just until incorporated.

Spoon the cheese mixture on top of the whole cookie and fill each muffin cup almost to the top.

Bake about 22 minutes (mine took about 7 minutes longer). The filling should be set.

Remove from oven and refrigerate the cupcakes still in the tins for 4 hours.

To Make The Glaze: Put the chocolate and butter in a small glass bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time for about 2 minutes, until the butter and chocolate are melted enough to be combined. Drizzle the glaze on top of the cold cupcakes and return to the refrigerator to completely set.

To serve, remove the paper lining.

PRINT THE RECIPE HERE


Share

It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time...

I was so excited to try these. They sounded delicious. It's Nigella Lawson's recipe. How could I go wrong?



What's wrong with this picture? Nothing is wrong with the picture. Don't they look wonderful? In my opinion, it's the recipe. I made Nigella's recipe for Baklava Muffins from a recipe I got here. I won't bother to post the whole recipe. Why? Let me count the reasons:

• Half of the muffin stuck to paper muffin cup. It made a horrible mess when I was eating it and who wants to scrape a tough muffin skin off the paper muffin cup using your teeth? Not me.


• Did I mention they were tough? Not like cake or a muffin at all. Dense and almost flavorless.


• The cinnamon-sugar mixture in the middle of the muffin didn't melt even a little like I thought it would. The mixture stayed crumbly and, therefore, dropped out all over the place while I was eating it.


• "Drizzling" with honey does NOT make the muffin taste like baklava.

And, I really, really wanted these to be good!

If anyone has made these and had a different experience, please leave a comment and tell me what you did right and I did wrong!