2525. APPLE BACON CHEDDAR CUPCAKES with MESQUITE BUTTERCREAM

yields 16 cupcakes


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup mesquite flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 cup apple cider
2 1/2 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/8" cubes
3 pieces of cooked bacon (preferably maple cured), roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, mesquite flour, baking powder, and baking soda. In another medium-sized bowl beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs and yogurt into the butter/sugar. Alternately add the flour mixture and the apple cider to the butter/sugar mixture, beating after each addition until just combined. Fold in the cheese and bacon. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

Mesquite Buttercream
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2-3 cups powdered sugar (depending on how thick you like your buttercream)
2 tablespoons mesquite flour
a few tablespoons of milk, optional

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes on high speed). Mix in mesquite flour. Optionally, mix in milk a little bit at a time until the frosting has a consistency you like. Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Cupcake Project: An Experimental Cupcake Blog, September 19, 2011