breakfast in a cupcake

I love to make cupcakes! I do. I am a self professed non baker but for some reason in my brain cupcakes do not land in that category. A few months ago I started getting creative with the flavors and perfecting a made from scratch buttercream recipe. I bought some lavender sugar at a local market and made a strawberry cupcake with lavender buttercream - and of course sprinkling a little purple sugar on the top. They were a hit! Then came the peanut butter and jelly cupcake - thanks Martha! Then, last night, again thanks to Martha, I whipped up a maple buttercream frosting with pure maple syrup and a GOB of butter.

Really - that is FOUR, yes FOUR sticks of butter, chilled and cut into little cubes. Added to the syrup and egg yolks and beat into a frothy, fluffy bowl full of syrupy goodness. If I hadn't been waiting for our yummy dinner I may have eaten the entire bowl of frosting, inevitably getting sick from all the sugar - but still, it is that good.

Next came the bacon - a few strips baked in the oven and then crumbled up, and sprinkled on the cupcake. It tasted like breakfast!

A few minor adjustments to the process for next time - and I may try the bacon powder recipe I found on the super fun blog The Bacon Show. http://baconshow.blogspot.com/search/label/bacon%20powder

Up next in the breakfast cupcake series...mimosa, complete with champagne buttercream!