Sunday 3 February 2013

Fat Elvis cupcakes

 


Now these are going to disgust some people because they are topped with candied bacon!  It’s always good to start a baking post with the admission you’ll be disgusting some people...is your mouth watering yet?  Bacon cupcakes were a big thing a couple of years back and I thought it was time I tried one.  Yes, I am about two years behind the curve on most things....never be an early adopter, that’s my motto!




Mr CC cannot even hear me speak of these cupcakes without grimacing.  He can’t get past the bacon.  I’ve tried rationalising it by asking him to ignore the bacon – pick it off if it appals him – and just focus on the banana cupcake with peanut butter cream cheese frosting.  He then admitted he has a problem with banana too.  I’m not going to convert him on this one, I can tell!



Seriously though, the bacon is a gimmick to tie it in to Elvis.  Simply omit it and you have a far more ‘normal’ cupcake.  The cupcake takes its – admittedly rather cruel – name from Elvis Presley’s alleged penchant, late in his life, for peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwiches.




I loved this cupcake.  The banana sponge is surprisingly light (lighter than say, banana bread) and more banana flavoured than eating a banana.  I know that’s impossible but it tastes so intense.  The cream cheese peanut butter frosting is thick and smooth and one of those things you want to roll around in your mouth because it feels so nice (oh....just me then?)




The bacon.  The bacon is AWESOME!  I went for unsmoked back bacon to stop it being too salty – the peanut butter is salty and I wanted to keep it a balanced, mostly sweet cupcake.  Cooking the bacon in the maple syrup was a special kitchen moment for me – close to spiritual.  The smell!  The look!  The taste!  Sigh.....!  Here are the three stages of the bacon:








I am aware that a lot of food sites are starting to promote Valentine’s baking...and I’ve made Fat Elvis cupcakes.  Perhaps not the most romantic of bakes.  I do have some Valentine’s bakes up my sleeve, but this weekend was more about the food of gluttony rather than the food of love!





Ingredients

For the sponge:
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g caster sugar
2 eggs
125g plain flour
2tsp baking powder
2 small/medium ripe bananas, mashed

For the frosting:

180g icing sugar
230g cream cheese, room temperature
115g unsalted butter, room temperature
130g smooth peanut butter
Optional: a handful chopped salted peanuts

For the glazed bacon:
4-6 rashers of bacon, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup


Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/fan oven 160ºC,350°F/ Gas mark 4.
Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper cases.
Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Don’t skimp on this stage.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a little of the flour if it looks like it might curdle.
Beat in the remaining flour and baking powder.
Fold in the mashed bananas.
Spoon into the paper cases and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out cleanly. (They take a little longer than normal sponges because of the large amount of banana – it makes the batter rather wet)
Leave to cool - out of the tin – on a wire rack.
The sponges can be made a day or two in advance if stored in an airtight container.
Now make the frosting:  Sift icing sugar into the mixing bowl.
Add the cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter and beat until smooth.
If the frosting is soft, ten minutes in the fridge will make it the perfect consistency.
Spread or pipe the frosting over the banana cakes and sprinkle with chopped salted peanuts (if using).
Again, the frosting can be made and applied to the cupcakes a day in advance of serving but need to be kept in the fridge because of the cream cheese.
To make the bacon: Start by cutting the bacon into 1.5 inch pieces.
Dry fry the bacon and pour away any fat that comes out.
Add maple syrup and cook until dark brown.  Be patient with this – it takes a while for the liquid of the maple syrup to evaporate and turn into a thick, treacly coating. Don’t rush it!  When it becomes difficult to turn the bacon because it sticks like glue to your spatula...it’s ready!
Leave the glazed bacon to cool – ideally on a non stick surface as it’s pretty sticky!
It can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge.
Use as a cupcake topper.  I chopped each piece into three, so there wasn’t a huge chunk of bacon on top of the cupcake.
Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.
Eat.


24 comments:

Caroline said...

Hmm, I think you lost me on the bacon, but I'd be more than happy with a banana cupcake with peanut butter cream cheese frosting - that part is certainly droolworthy!

Caroline Cowe said...

Typical - I've never come across these before but just found them in a recipe book and am going to make them for my Alphabakes challenge this month! You beat me to it! You should send them in to Alphabakes if you haven't already - details are at www.themorethanoccasionalbaker.blogspot.co.uk. I'm going to make mine in a couple of weeks :-)

My boyfriend has the same attitude about bacon in cakes after I made some bacon brownies a while back - I thought the sweet/salty thing would work but they really didn't taste very nice! His face when I told him I wanted to make another cake using bacon was a picture!

Ulla said...

I must say that as much I like bacon I would leave it out of cupcakes. Or I could make ones with... let's say... sun dried tomato, basil and bacon. Topped with cream cheese with herbs.

Gloria Baker said...

I think look amazing ...anyway I love Elvis forever and ever!

Cakeyboi said...

Bacon in cupcakes! Great idea - I've made bacon and choc chip cookies before, but these look way better!

sensibilia said...

Oh dear, I don't think I could go for a bacon cupcake, much as I love salty things. And I'm allergic to peanuts! So pass on this one. On the plus side, I can report that the spelt raspberry and blueberry cake hit the spot with husband and will definitely be made again in this household!

Lucy said...

Love the debate bacon cupcakes are causing! I've never tried the combination, but I have tried bacon jam which was delicious and probably not too dissimilar. The banana cake in particular sounds really good.

Kate@whatkatebaked said...

Wow!! Now that is the most unique cupcake flavour combination I have seen a longgggggg time! I'm solely tempted to bake a batch myself to see what they taste like- and hopefully have some lush leftover maple bacon for a buttie or two!

Choclette said...

I don't think you're going to sell these as a Valantine's treat with a name like Fat Elvis. If I try hard to ignore the bacon bit, these cupcakes sound gorgeous, cream cheese and peanut butter has got to be good.

Debs Dust Bunny said...

Yeap, this works for me! Being American, we often have bacon, pancakes and maple syrup. I love the salty-sweet combination. Add cream cheese frosting and a lovely little cake...all I can say, in my best Elvis voice, is 'Thank you, thank you very much!'

Unknown said...

You see, I knew it - I posted the other week that everything tasted better with bacon, and now, here you are endorsing that with cupcakes. Woo hoo!

Soo said...

Bacon goes with EVERYTHING. They sound yummy to me!

Nickki said...

Oh my these have me drooling! You may not have convinced Mr CC but you've certainly convinced me! I made some bacon choc chip cookies once, they weren't too bad!

Cakelaw said...

Oooh, I will have Mr CC's share - I adore bacon and am converted to pancakes with maple syrup and bacon.

Kezia said...

Although I love the look of most of your delicious creations, I'll admit that in my book bacon should never, ever go near a cupcake! Peanut butter and banana is always good though :)

Maggie said...

I too cannot get past the bacon - I'm always two years ago with fads, but this one will have to pass me by.

Kit @ i-lostinausten said...

What an innovative cupcake & name too! I like sweet & salty combo & this is definitely a very interesting recipe !

Susie @ Fold in the Flour said...

I'm totally with you on the peanut butter frosting, but would hesitate at the bacon. That said, a recipe for maple-glazed bacon keeps calling to me, so I may just jump off that cliff at some point. And Fat Elvis? Brilliant name. I'm not sure what a svelte, snake hips cupcake would look like but suspect it wouldn't be this! ;)

Tigger said...

I think the cupcake looks beautiful - am very tempted to try them out but wincing slightly at the trillion calories there must be in even half a cake! I could just make 6 I guess but I'd still have to eat all of them.

Anyway, well done for an inovative bake.

Jessica Robert said...

Super original!

Cupcake Crazy Gem said...

Love it! There is so much bacon stuff over here in baked goods, Canadians really love their bacon! We have it with our pancakes and syrup all the time..I'm sure I would love this! There's even a burger place here doing an elvis milkshake...not sure how I would feel about drinking blended up bacon but I would definitely love the candied bacon on your cupcakes!!

Mrs Mulford said...

Hi Had to smile when I saw these if it's any consolation the 'sweetie' bacon I used did't help their appeal either.

Hazel - Chicken in a Cherry Sauce said...

Woooow these sound incredible! Yay for bacon in cakes! Banana and peanut butter sound like an awesome match for some candied bacon. I want to try one of these desperately!

Unknown said...

I didn't have any bacon so I decorated mine with little chunks of fudge, mmmmm!!!