Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Candied Bacon By: Beer Bitty



This recipe really needs no introduction. The title says it all: chocolate, stout, cupcake, bacon.. I mean, what more could you want in a single bite? While the candied bacon portion is indeed optional, it really does make this cupcake extraordinary. The cupcake portion of this recipe is based on The Butch Bakery’s Chocolate Stout Cupcakes. His truly are among the best stout cupcakes I’ve tasted, and trust me, I’ve tried my hand at quite a few different cake recipes featuring stout. Ingredients - Cupcakes 1 ½ sticks butter, unsalted ½ cup cocoa powder ¼ cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped ¾ cup dark beer, such as a stout or robust porter.* 2 large eggs ½ cup sour cream, none of that low fat stuff 1 cup granulated sugar ¼ cup brown sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 1 pinch of salt Ingredients - Cream Cheese Frosting 8 oz. cream cheese 4 tbs. butter, unsalted 2 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar 2 tbs. dark beer, leftover from the cupcakes 1 tsp. vanilla extract Ingredients - Candied Bacon (optional) 8 oz. thickly sliced bacon ½ cup water (or beer) ½ cup brown sugar 1 pinch of salt Steps - Cupcakes and Frosting Preheat the oven to 350F. Using low heat, melt the butter (either on the stovetop or in the microwave).

Add the cocoa powder and chocolate; stir until smooth.

Add the stout and stir until homogeneous. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. I prefer to do this by hand so that I save the standup mixer for the frosting.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sour cream.

Add the chocolate/butter mixture to the eggs and sour cream; stir until well combined. The chocolate mixture will be somewhat granulated - do not be alarmed! After a few whisks it’ll smooth itself out again.

Carefully mix in the flour, sugars, baking soda, and salt. Scrap down the sides a couple of times and mix until just combined, not a stir more. Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin or lightly coat in nonstick cooking spray. I opted for the latter in this version as I made mini cupcakes for work.

Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, fill each tin about ⅔ of the way - any more and they will likely spill over the sides. Place on the center rack in the oven and bake for 9 - 20 minutes, depending on the size of the cupcake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Using a standup mixer, mix the cream cheese and butter on high speed until fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the beer and vanilla. After well incorporated, add the confectioners sugar, tasting after every half cup or so, until sweetened to your liking. Frost the cupcakes and top with candied bacon (see below), chocolate covered pretzels, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or leave as is. Steps - Candied Bacon Preheat oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Allow to reduce until the mixture reaches a maple syrup consistency.

Add the bacon to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until thoroughly coated and soaked with the syrup mixture.

Strain the bacon, reserving all of the liquid amazingness. Lay the bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or so, watching very carefully after 5 minutes as bacon coated in a sugar mixture tends to burn suddenly and without warning. After removing from oven, allow to rest for at least 5 minutes as the candy coating will harden on the bacon. Poke holes using a toothpick or punch down a small indent in the top of the cupcake using the end of a wooden spoon. Add a teaspoon or so of the bacon caramel.

Note: Bacon can also be made before the cupcakes, chopped, and mixed into the batter before baking.

Frost the cupcakes and top with the candied bacon.



