Week 20, June 16,2014~ Spicy Bacon Guinness Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream

A sign that I have lost my mind is when I make a cupcake that doesn't sound like it would make any sense at all...and that us what happened this week...

I knew I wanted to make another bacon cupcake but it needed to be different....so instead of just candying the bacon on top of the cupcake I candied the bacon inside of the cupcake too but I did a sweet and spicy ( some would say very spicy) rub. In my opinion you haven't lived until you have tried candied bacon...I highly recommend adding it to chocolate chip cookies too. I also decided to make a chocolate Guinness cupcake instead of a regular chocolate cake because bacon and chocolate go well together and bacon and beer go together...right? Then somewhere in my crazy brain I decided that hazelnut and bacon go good together...and boy was I right...I think this might be one of my favorite cupcakes yet...definitely the most creative. Also the Nutella buttercream is definitely one of the best frostings I have made to date. It was so light and fluffy and hazelnutty! I talk about this cupcake all day but I think it's time to move on... 

This recipe made 12 cupcakes!

For the candied bacon:

• 10 slices of bacon --6 for the filling and 4 for garnish ( you are more than welcome to add more I kinda wish I did)
•  2 tablespoons brown sugar
•  2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (you can use less or use chili powder instead if you don't like it as spicy)

1. preheat oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with foil and layout bacon on sheet

2. Mix the sugar and peppers together in a small bowl and generously rub the mixture all over the bacon

3. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes-even if it doesn't seem crispy enough it will crisp up a bit after you take it out of the oven

4. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels and once cool chop 6 of the slices into small pieces and 4 of the pieces into fourths for the garnish; set aside till ready to add to the cupcakes.

For the Guinness cupcakes:

• 3/4 cup Guinness
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
•  6 tbsp cup Dutch-process cocoa powder - I use Hershey's Special Dark
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 6 slices crumbled candied bacon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined.
3. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly.
4.  Add the bacon and using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. 
5. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

For the Nutella Buttercream:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup Nutella
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp Frangelico or heavy cream

1. Beat the butter until smooth and creamy

2. Add the Nutella and beat until fully combined

3. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated

4. Add the liquor or heavy cream and beat for 2-3 minutes--if too thick add more liquid or more sugar if too thin.

5. Frost the cupcakes as you wish and top with a piece of candied bacon!

Happy Baking :)