Honey Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache topped with BACON BACON BACON BACON BACON BACON

Alright, I figure I only have a couple of sentences before you look at the photos, snicker and move on to a post you are actually likely to cook.  


So, let's be logical...


The honey on the cupcakes makes them almost taste like pancakes.  Bacon and pancakes... Of course that tastes fabulous!  


Chocolate Ganache (made with Heavy Cream and chocolate (so decadent)) on a cupcake.  That is beyond fabulous!


And bacon on the Chocolate... Come on, a salty, savory sweet... And utterly FABULOUS!


Sounding better???


Take a look at the photo now...

And, lest you think this is just another of Dave's goofy posts, this actually came from my partner this month forTASTE & CREATE !!!

TASTE & CREATE is a cultural exchange program for bloggers. Click on the logo to the right, but the premise is simple... Once you sign up, monthly, you are paired with another blogger. Hunt down a recipe that you find appealing and cook and post the results. You are introduced to a new recipe, and at the same time, because you dig a little deeper into a new blog, you find bits of personal information that gets you a new blogger buddy!

This month I am paired with Edana of YUM FOODS!  I am in love with Edana (don't tell Jackie).  She is a fun read, has terrific recipes, and puts quite a bit of personality in her writing.  She is not afraid to show a photo of the kitchen disaster when she dumped a plate of cupcake batter on the floor.


And look close at the photo to the left...


yep, she's the one.  


You knew someone did... 


She bought em, and uses em...

Onion goggles!  

Every time she posts a new recipe, I am praying that it has onions in the ingredient list.  I love to picture her slicing and dicing in her oh so stylish goggles!




But she does have cooking chops.  In her most recent post, she did a beautiful GRILLED pinwheeled stuffed Flank Steak recipe (yes, there are slice onions in the recipe (hee hee)).  She served them like meat lollipops.


Like I said, I am in love (don't tell Jackie)!


TASTE & CREATE is so much fun.  All too often, we don't stop to see the whole picture of a blogger.  T&;C asks you to go back, take a look at the blogger's body of work, get to know them and pick something from their archives.

But of all her wonderful recipes, these caught my eye...

Did I mention I was in love... BACON CUPCAKES, I mean come on!!!


She adapted a recipe from Delish...

Cupcakes
1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cup(s) cake flour (not self-rising)
1 tablespoon(s) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
2 stick(s) (1-cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 3/4 cup(s) sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoon(s) maple extract
1 1/4 cup(s) milk

Ganache
2 cup(s) heavy cream
1 pound(s) semisweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
Pinch of salt
bacon

Directions
Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the cupcake pans with your choice of cupcake liners. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in maple extract. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.
Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes until golden and the tester comes out clean. (Or until your house smells like pancakes!)
Ganache: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cream to a full boil; turn off heat. Add chocolate, and swirl pan to completely cover with cream. Slowly whisk mixture until smooth. (To get silky-smooth ganache takes longer to mix than you think!) Add salt; stir until combined. Transfer to a clean bowl and let chill overnight or until spreadable.
When cupcakes have cooled, spread some ganache on top. Chill for a minute or two. While the cupcakes are chilling, cook up some of your favorite bacon however you like it. (Crunchy and toasted is recommended.) Chop in pieces, top the cupcakes, and voilà!

It is advertised that the recipe makes 18 cupcakes.  I cut the recipe in half, and it still made 15 cupcakes.


I also live on an island where shopping for ingredients is a challenge.  Maple extract does not exist for hundreds and hundreds of miles.  That's why I used the honey, and it came out wonderful!


Other than that...


What a great recipe!




An alternative for when I get tired of eating my world famous Chocolate covered Bacon (the one with caramel was the most popular).


Thanks Edana, and god bless you for posting this to the world... it is the work of angels that you are doing!


...