Thursday, October 20, 2016

Chocolate Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream and Candied Bacon #Choctoberfest

Moist chocolate cupcakes with light and airy caramel frosting and a candied bacon garnish
Chocolate Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream and Candied Bacon // Moist chocolate cupcakes with light and airy caramel frosting and a candied bacon garnish #recipe #chocolate #bacon #dulcedeleche #cupcakes #Choctoberfest

I have been so excited to share these cupcakes because they were literally a labor of love. My eldest baby turned 9 earlier this year and he asked me to make him chocolate mint caramel bacon cupcakes for his birthday party with his friends. No, I'm not joking. I didn't think they would ALL work together, but I did figure that I could throw out the mint and come up with something.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream and Candied Bacon // Moist chocolate cupcakes with light and airy caramel frosting and a candied bacon garnish #recipe #chocolate #bacon #dulcedeleche #cupcakes #Choctoberfest

I took an old tried and true chocolate cupcake recipe, altered a buttercream recipe that I loved, and made a batch of candied bacon. I thought they worked very well together. The cupcake portion is fluffy, moist, and so dang good. The caramel buttercream is made with dulce de leche and lighter than air. The candied bacon...really honestly I don't even need to talk about it at all. It's candied bacon.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream and Candied Bacon // Moist chocolate cupcakes with light and airy caramel frosting and a candied bacon garnish #recipe #chocolate #bacon #dulcedeleche #cupcakes #Choctoberfest

They got huge compliments from all his friends and some of the parents too. I was really happy about it because one of my all-time favorite things to do is make someone their birthday cake. I like to make something that they will absolutely love. Unfortunately, my turd of a kid decided that he didn't want to eat them. I honestly cannot remember what the reason was now...it may have been because the bacon touched the frosting, but it was definitely something silly like that. LOL. Such a moody little guy.

And at the bottom of this post you will find more recipes from the #Choctoberfest bloggers! Tomorrow is the last day to enter the giveaway and the last day of #Choctoberfest 2016.

(Print)
What you need:
For the cupcakes:
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water
For the frosting:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 packet Dream Whip
  • 1/3 cup Dulce de Leche
  • 3 Tbsp. milk
  • 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
For the candied bacon:
  • 12 slices bacon
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
Directions:
  1. For cupcakes: stir sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a stand mixer or in a large bowl.
  2. Then mix in eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla on medium speed [in stand mixer or with a hand mixer] for 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in boiling water. Batter will be very thin.
  4. Fill the lined cups of a muffin pan 2/3 of the way full.
  5. Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  6. Let cool on a wire rack. 
  7. For the candied bacon:  Lower oven temperature to 325*. Prepare a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
  8. In a bowl, toss bacon with brown sugar. Don't throw the excess sugar away!
  9. Arrange bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet and top with any excess sugar from the bowl.
  10. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the bacon and then set another baking sheet on top.
  11. Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully lift up the top baking sheet and check to see if the bacon is crispy. If not, bake another 10 to 15 minutes.
  12. Remove from oven and onto a plate to rest where they will finish crisping, so to speak.
  13. For the frosting: cream together butter, salt and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add Dream Whip on low.
  14. Then beat in dulce de leche, powdered sugar, and milk - I used all 3 cups and all 3 Tbsp. Use to your desired consistency!  
  15. Pipe on top of the cooled cupcakes.
  16. Chop up the candied bacon into little 1 to 2 inch pieces and set on frosting. 
  17. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream and Candied Bacon // Moist chocolate cupcakes with light and airy caramel frosting and a candied bacon garnish #recipe #chocolate #bacon #dulcedeleche #cupcakes #Choctoberfest
Chocolate Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream and Candied Bacon // Moist chocolate cupcakes with light and airy caramel frosting and a candied bacon garnish #recipe #chocolate #bacon #dulcedeleche #cupcakes #Choctoberfest

Original Fantastical Recipe




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