Cream Cheese and Bacon Cupcakes

We whipped this recipe up in celebration of Bacon Week, but let's be honest, they'll make for an incredible dessert all year around! Next time you feel like something salty and sweet, give these tasty treats a try. 

Preparation time

30 minutes (plus 10 minutes decorating time)

Cooking time

35 minutes

Serves

20

Ingredients 

For the cupcakes

For the frosting

Method

• Preheat your oven to 200ºC and get out two mixing bowls and two baking trays. Line your baking trays with baking paper.
• Put your chopped bacon into one bowl, and your whole rashers in the other. Pour one lot of golden syrup into each bowl, mix well. Pour the contents of each bowl onto separate baking trays and cook until crispy (approximately 15-20 minutes). Take your trays out and set them aside to cool.
• Turn the oven down to 180ºC and get out two 24-hole mini cupcake tin. Line your cupcake tins with cupcake cases (you will probably only end up needing half of the second tray, but see how far your batter stretches!).
• Mix the sugar and butter until it is fluffy. Add your eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add one lot of each of your flours and one lot of milk and beat on a low speed. Repeat with the rest of the flours, milk and golden syrup. Add the cinnamon powder. Be careful not to overbeat it. Mix it only until it looks smooth.
• Pour your batter into your cupcake cases, filling each to about the two-thirds mark. Top with chopped bacon. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until cooked.
• Mix the butter until fluffy, then add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add one lot of sugar and beat until incorporated. Add the rest of the sugar and beat until smooth. Be careful not to overbeat it.
• Get your cooled cupcakes out of your tins and pipe or spread a bit of frosting onto each.
• Break your whole bacon rashers into shards and finish them off by adding a shard to each.
• Serve and enjoy!

Photo credit: http://thebakeryspot.com/