Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Chocolate? Check. Caramel? Check. Bacon? Check. Delicious? Definitely.

I have had these cupcakes bookmarked FOREVER. Literally, they’ve had a star in my Google Reader for a very long time. I even included them in my Top Ten list back in June of 2009. It took me forever to make them and I’m very glad I did.

I made these for our friend’s annual Pirate Party. The bacon provided a salty and smokiness to the cupcakes that balanced the sweetness nicely. And this caramel frosting is my new favorite. It’s awesome. Hubby thoroughly enjoyed licking the beaters and bowl after I made the frosting.

This chocolate cupcakes recipe wasn’t my favorite. I overfilled mine a little bit and the top of the cupcakes looked almost like meringue after they baked. It was also a little flaky and crispy similar to a meringue. I think not overfilling these would have helped that issue, but if I made these again, I might just use a different chocolate cupcake recipe and add bacon to it.

One Year Ago: Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies and Overnight French Toast
Two Years Ago: Raspberry Meringue Cookies

Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes with Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Yield: 24

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
200 grams of dark chocolate, chopped
3 sticks butter (340 g), at room temperature
2-1/4 cups sugar (250 g)
8 eggs
1-1/4 cup flour (165 g)
1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened (23 g)
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 pound uncooked bacon

For the Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1 1/4 cups sugar (250 g), separated in half (1/2 c + 2 Tbsp per half, or 125 g)
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream
6 large egg whites or enough powdered egg whites and water
Pinch of salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened and cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

For the Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.

Cook the bacon until crispy. Chop the bacon into very small pieces and set aside.

Place chocolate and butter in a metal bowl and put the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until everything is melted.

Remove the bowl from the water and stir in the sugar. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; set aside.

When the chocolate mixture is cool, beat with an electric mixer or your stand mixer for 3 minutes. The mixture will get just a tad thicker.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each one. After two or three eggs, the mixture will start to get thicker and shinier.

Once all the eggs are incorporated, add the dry ingredients. Mix on a low speed until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

Add the bacon and fold it in with a spatula.

Scoop the batter into cupcake cups until 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack.

For the Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Make the caramel
Place half of the sugar and the water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is clear. Let the syrup come to a boil, washing down the sides with a wet pastry brush if necessary to prevent crystals from forming.
Boil the syrup, swirling occasionally, until it changes color to dark amber (~340° on a candy thermometer).

Immediately remove from the heat (the sugar will burn if it gets to 350°). Carefully add the cream, standing away from the pan since the mixture will bubble a lot. Stir the caramel until smooth and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool. (I actually put the bowl into an ice bath, stirring occasionally, to help it cool faster.)

While the caramel cools, place the rest of the sugar, the egg whites and the salt in the metal bowl of a standing mixer. Place the bowl over a pan of boiling water. Whisk continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches 140° Fahrenheit.

Fit the standing mixer with the whisk attachment and put the bowl in place. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it is stiff.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and begin adding the butter, a tablespoon or two at a time. Beat until the butter is no longer visible, and add in more, until it is all added. At some point it will look curdled and broken, but just keep on beating and beating until it gets smooth again. This could take a few minutes.

Switch to the paddle attachment and add the caramel and vanilla extract. Beat on low until combined and smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

At this point you can frost your cupcakes, or you can refrigerate the buttercream for up to 2 days. When you want to use it, take it out of the fridge and bring to room temperature, about an hour. Rebeat in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Recipe as seen on Scrumptious Photography, cupcakes originally from Chockylit, frosting originally from Martha Stewart

Cupcakes, Dessert

19 comments »

22 Responses to “Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes”

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1

DeliciousDish — March 30, 2011 at 4:34 pm

I NEED to make these. I might just start on them tonight!
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2

Nutmeg Nanny — March 30, 2011 at 4:35 pm

These look amazing! I would go into a sugar coma because I would probably want to eat at least three of these gems…haha.
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3

Melissa — March 30, 2011 at 4:37 pm

Oh wow these are my dream dessert! I hope you bring these ones to Cupcake Camp!!
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4

Erin — March 30, 2011 at 4:40 pm

I too have been meaning to make these cupcakes since I first saw them on the internet. I love that you combined several recipes from different bloggers. Awesome recipes, unite!
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5

beantownbaker — March 30, 2011 at 5:20 pm

Like I said, it’s a multi-step process, so starting part of it tonight might be a good idea. If you make them, I definitely want one. These were so good.
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6

beantownbaker — March 30, 2011 at 5:20 pm

Oh that’s a thought… I still haven’t decided what I’m baking for Cupcake Camp…
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7

beantownbaker — March 30, 2011 at 5:20 pm

Definitely give it a shot. They take some time, but it’s SO worth it.
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8

Shannon — March 30, 2011 at 5:28 pm

I’ve been wanting to make these for quite a while as well. My mother-in-law LOVES cookie dough and her birthday is coming up. From all the versions I’ve seen floating around on the internet, I really like yours since you have the LOTS of cookie dough in the middle of your cupcakes. So, you baked the cupcakes with the frozen cookie dough inside? No problems with it baking up? I’m definitely trying this!
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9

beantownbaker — March 30, 2011 at 5:33 pm

Yep, just dropped the dough into the cupcake batter before baking it. The cupcakes did rise up quite a bit and then sank back down as they cooled. I was a little concerned I had underbaked them, but they were delicious. Definitely let me know how they turn out for you if you make them.
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10

Jessica — March 30, 2011 at 5:52 pm

oh my Lord these look amazing! I’m having a girls night next weekend and I’m def going to try these! Thanks!
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11

FunandFearlessinBeantown — March 30, 2011 at 6:18 pm

Once again Jen, you impress me with your creativity!
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12

Sarah C — March 30, 2011 at 9:35 pm

I want, no NEED, to make these. Does it matter what size your cookie scoop is? Mine is a medium size with about 1.5 tbsp volume. Want to make sure it won’t be too much that it prevents the cupcake from baking up (because honestly, it’s not possible for it to be too much cookie dough).
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13

beantownbaker — March 30, 2011 at 10:45 pm

I’m honestly not sure what size my cookie scoop is. It doesn’t have any markings on it to give an indication! I think it’s the standard cookie scoop you’d get at the grocery store if that helps at all… I think 1.5 Tbsp sounds about right though.
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14

Carrie — March 30, 2011 at 11:03 pm

I’m already trying to decide what occasion to make them for.
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15

Cara — March 31, 2011 at 2:07 am

I’m still waiting to try these. Just sayin’. 😉
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16

ErinsFoodFiles — March 31, 2011 at 3:14 am

WOW! Talk about decadent!
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beantownbaker — March 31, 2011 at 12:03 pm

Well I *might* be making these for Cupcake Camp. So, if you make the trip into Boston for that, you might be able to have one! Too bad they’re not appropriate for Passover.
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18

Rebel Mel — March 31, 2011 at 1:26 pm

Who needs dessert at 8am???

I’ll give you one hint.

Me.

😉

Bookmarking this! I’ve been meaning to make these cupcakes for a while now!
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19

DyingforChocolate.com — April 2, 2011 at 5:05 pm

Will be making these soon. What a great twist.. the cookie is actually a cookie in the baking process. Yum!
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20

Jene — April 5, 2011 at 11:47 am

OH. EM. GEE. I’m SO making these for euchre night on Saturday, just to have an excuse.
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21

Lovemytheekidz — March 26, 2014 at 8:00 pm
I found this recipeast summer and have made it several times for my oldest child, who has requested it again-for her sweet sixteen birthday. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
- beantownbaker — April 16th, 2014 @ 6:01 pm
  
  So glad you enjoy it! This is one of our favorite cupcake recipes of all time.