Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Candied Bacon

I’ve noticed that lately I’ve been getting more new readers here at Erin’s DC Kitchen. I want to say hello! For the newbies and seasoned followers alike, this cupcake recipe is my ‘thanks’ to you, for sticking with me and enjoying food together!

These cupcakes have the most amazing texture; they are dense and very moist and not to sweet, thanks to the sweet potato. They remind me of the flavors of a sweet potato casserole- cloves, cinnamon and ginger. But the pièce de résistance is topping these little buggers with candied bacon. Sweet and salty is delicious, don’t listen to anyone who says otherwise.

I brought these to a coworker’s baby shower and they seemed to be a big hit. I mean, bacon plus dessert? C’mon!  🙂

Oh yes, these are topped with pillows of whipped cream cheese frosting

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbl honey
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and powder in a bowl, set aside. Mash the sweet potatoes with the cinnamon, ginger, cloves and honey, set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes until whipped looking. Add in the sugar and continue beating on high until fluffy, about 3 more minutes. Add eggs one at a time, and then mix in vanilla. Stir in the sweet potatoes until combined. Add flour mixture, beat until combined. Divide the batter evenly between 24 cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 0z cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 stick butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together on high speed for 3 minutes. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Continue beating on medium speed for 5 minutes or more, until the frosting looks very fluffy and airy. Get ready to frost!

Candied Bacon

• 5 strips of bacon
• brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°. On a foil lined baking sheet, arrange the bacon in a single layer. Grab a handful of brown sugar and sprinkle it over the bacon. Bake for 12 minutes, remove from the oven and flip. Bake for another 12-15 minutes, until the sugar starts to carmalize and the bacon crisps up. Remove from the baking sheet and transfer the bacon to a separate plate to cool. Once cooled, snip the bacon into 1 inch pieces with kitchen shears and top the frosted cupcakes with one piece.

Enjoy!

– Erin