Cupcakes for Breakfast

It's Friday tomorrow. That time of the week again! Yes, time for Friday B'fast Bakes@ D's work place. Time flies when you're having fun.
What's a good b'fast dish for D to bring to work? Pancakes, french toast, b'fast wrap, muffins or even quiche? Borrring.... I need something out of the ordinary.....special.....unusual.....yet delicious. Hmm, what can I bake?



How about Bacon Cupcakes? Eeew, some may say. But pairing savory with sweet is nothing new. Think turkey and cranberries. Pork and apples. Chicken & Waffles. Ham and glaze. I'm not going to claim credit for this idea. I've been a fan of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservation show for a while now and there was an episode where he visited a coffee bar in San Francisco and was served bacon coffee. Weird but interesting combo, I thought to myself then. That sparked my curiosity and I started to googled bacon desserts. Lo and behold! I never would've imagined that there could be such a long list of desserts with bacon in them! Maple bacon cupcakes were one of the top on the list! After further research, I was fully convinced and knew I just have to incorporate bacon into my bakes!

For my first attempt, I decided to go with a chiffon bacon cupcake (same recipe I used in my Orange Chiffon cake) with bits of corn kernels; the corn inspiration came from this. I decided to go with chiffon cake instead of pound or any type of dense cake to balance out the richness of the bacon. The corn kernel adds a nice texture to the cupcake. And the bacon? Its crunchiness and saltiness give a nice balance to the sweetness of the sponge cake. Chock-full of flavor and definitely takes cupcakes up to a different level! I will be experimenting with more sweet & salty combos this month, but in the meantime, you must try this!


Bacon & Corn Cupcakes (chiffon cake recipe adapted from Epicurious)
2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
7 large egg yolks
1/2 cup water
1/4 milk
1 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
9 large egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cup corn kernel
6 strips bacon

Cook bacon until crispy; drain excess oil with paper towels. Set aside to cool. Into a large bowl sift together the flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and the salt. In a bowl whisk together the wet ingredients (with exception of egg whites) and whisk the mixture into the flour mixture, whisking until the batter is smooth. In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are foamy, add the cream of tartar, and beat the whites until they hold stiff peaks. Add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat the whites until they hold stiff glossy peaks. Stir one third of the whites into the batter to lighten it and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Add in corn kernel and bacon bits. Spoon batter into cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes orr until a tester comes out clean (given my temperamental oven, I baked the cupcakes at 320 degrees and monitored closely @ 18 mins).