secret recipe club: bacon topped maple french toast cupcakes

this month's secret recipe club pick was obnoxiously easy for me. as soon as i saw these maple french toast and bacon cupcakes on food ramblings, i knew they were mine! ever since i made these pig out cookies - a peanut butter cookie with bacon and chocolate chips - jason has been asking for more baked goods with bacon included. it seems to be a universal food - i've never met a person that doesn't love bacon!

and the cupcakes are delicious. jason prefers his without frosting (crazy, i know, but it also means i get whatever leftovers he has whenever we go somewhere with cake), so he dug into a few before i frosted them and couldn't get over how good the cake itself is. i baked these the night before a frosted them and noticed the next day they were a bit dry - next time i'm going to add 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg to pump up the moisture. the frosting is a bit on the runny side - definitely not something you can pipe into beautiful swirls or anything, but after a quick chill in the refrigerator, it was a bit easier to handle.

and elizabeth, your short bio reminds me so much of myself a few years ago. i started this blog to keep track of the things i made and liked and to be accountable to someone. i've spent the last few months losing baby and wife weight (it creeps up on you, so watch out for it!) which means i haven't blogged anywhere close to as often as i did before. thanks for reminding me that people want healthy meal and treat ideas too. sometimes we get so caught up in big swirls of buttercream and decadent dinners that we forget we still have to cook for a busy weeknight.

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!
 
check out my previous secret recipe club posts: cherry sorbet, slow cooker beans & mushrooms, mojito chicken tacos, maple glazed whole wheat spiced apple pizza, pig out cookies, pasta with blistered tomatoes & arugula and iced grapefruit cookies, mushroom barley soup, scalloped ham and potato bake & andes mint cake, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.



bacon topped maple french toast cupcakes
adapted from food ramblings
makes 18 cupcakes

for the cupcakes:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 box (3.4oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar + about 1 teaspoon molasses (or 1/2 cup light brown sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1/4 cup maple syrup, the darker the better
1/2 cup half & half

for the frosting & topping:
6 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp, and crumbled/cut into small pieces (can be made a day or two ahead)
8 ounces low fat or regular cream cheese
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup, the darker the better
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. to make the cupcakes, preheat your oven to 325F and line your cupcake tins. combine the dry ingredients - flour through salt - in a bowl and set aside. using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. add the vanilla extract and egg whites and mix until combined. combine the maple syrup and half & half in a small bowl or measuring cup. alternate adding the dry mixture and the maple half & half to the batter. mix just until combined. fill each cupcake about 3/4 full with batter (my oxo large scoop is the perfect size for this). bake 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. cool completely before icing.
2. to make the frosting, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. add the sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon and beat until smooth and creamy. you can top the cupcakes now, or if you prefer a thicker consistency, chill the frosting for an hour or two until thickened. the frosting will be thick enough to pipe using a straight sided tip (nothing fancy, the frosting is still thin enough that it can't hold intricate designs). top each cupcake with frosting and crumble bacon over the top. store in the refrigerator.