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

2370. BACON MESQUITE CHILIES & CHERRIES CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

makes 15 muffins


1-3/4 cups gluten free or regular flour
¼ cup mesquite flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (note: can be omitted if not making gluten free muffins)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons milk
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons canola oil
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 pieces bacon, cooked and drained on a paper towel
1-3.2 oz Chocolove Chilies & Cherries in Dark Chocolate bar*
15 pecan halves

*You can substitute ½ cup of regular chocolate chips or other chocolate though the sweetness of the cherries and heat of the chilies is a perfect addition to the flavor of these muffins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tin with muffin papers or by greasing the muffin pan cavities. Position rack in the middle of the oven.

Sift together the regular/gluten free flour, mesquite flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar to flour mixture and stir to combine.

In a separate bowl combine the milk, canola oil. Beat in eggs and add the vanilla extract.

Slice the bacon strips across into thin strips. Remove and discard any fatty portions.

Chop the chocolate bar into chocolate chip size pieces. I sliced it across the bar and then the opposite way to make the size I desired.

Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture. Stir in bacon and chocolate until combined.

Fill muffin cups two thirds full. Place a pecan half on the top of each muffin.

Bake for 18 minutes or until muffins are golden in color. Let cool on a cooling rack.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Boulder Locavore, Colorado, April 15, 2011