Food La La: Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes

BY LINDSEY MURAOKA / Special to the Star-Advertiser

On this episode of ‘Koko and Lala’s Cooking Time’, Kelly Loui and I make dark chocolate bacon cupcakes with peanut butter frosting!

The dark chocolate cake is semi sweet and slightly bitter so it contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the peanut butter frosting. The bacon bits give a smoky and savory taste. It’s an interesting combination of flavors but somehow they all work together.

Try it out if you dare!

This is the recipe we used for the cupcake and this one for the peanut butter frosting. But, we made a few modifications. For the frosting, we used only two cups of sugar instead of four because it was already sweet enough. Also, make sure to cook the bacon so that it is extra crispy and even slightly burnt. That way, it remains crispy when baked inside of the cupcake.

Dark Chocolate Bacon Cupcake

• 12 slices bacon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cold, strong, brewed coffee (We used chocolate macadamia coffee)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place bacon in a skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until extra crispy and even slightly burned. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, buttermilk and vegetable oil. Stir just until blended. Mix in 3/4 of the bacon, reserving the rest for garnish. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost and sprinkle remaining bacon crumbles on top.

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup cream

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in 1/2 of the confectioner’s sugar. Mix in 1/4 cup of the cream. Beat in the remaining confectioners’ sugar.Frost cupcakes after they are cool.

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Have any requests on what to make next? Leave a comment below, or contact me on Twitter or via email at foodlalablog@gmail.com.