I have been hearing about this chocolate & bacon craze for A WHILE now. Not gonna lie, my first impression was, gross! I’ve been intrigued enough to check out a few recipes every now and again, but until recently never dared to make the leap. Some friends were having a “crawfish boil”, which not being from the south was also new to me. I knew there would primarily be men there, and when I posed the idea of bacon chocolate cupcakes to my friends their faces lit up immediately and I knew I had a winner!

I struggled with which combination to do as far as icing goes, but when I saw this recipe from The Novice Chef I knew it was the one. I was right! I was especially in love with the icing, it’s sinfully amazing! It does call for REAL maple syrup, and it is soooo worth the investment for this recipe. I really don’t think regular imitation maple syrup we use for pancakes would cut it here, sorry Aunt Jemima. I also added a little splash of imitation maple flavor which took the maple flavor over the top. I’m now dreaming of many maple syrup icing topped yummies and can’t wait to make this again! Enjoy!! Oh and don’t miss you’re chance to win in the giveaway that ends tomorrow.. Details in the post below!

Bacon Chocolate Cupcakes with Maple Frosting   (Print Me)

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot coffee
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
3/4 cup bacon, cooked and chopped (additional to top & put in icing)

Maple Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter; room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
splash imitation maple flavor
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup bacon, cooked and chopped

Directions:
For the cake preheat your oven to 350º. Line standard muffin tins and set aside . Whisk together the cocoa and hot coffee until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat melt the butter with sugar, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl and beat on medium-low speed until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each. Remove from stand mixer and gently fold in bacon.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling about three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.

To make the frosting, cream the butter in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer on medium speen. Add the vanilla extract, salt, pure maple syrup and maple flavor, combine well.

Slowly add the powdered sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, if you need to add more maple syrup/flavor do so now. For thicker frosting you can gradually add in a little more sugar. Fold in additional bacon then frost completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish with chopped bacon if desired.

Source: The Novice Chef