Banana Bacon Cupcakes with a Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

I think Elvis was nothing short of a Genius! Famously known, his favorite sandwich was a grilled Peanut Butter Banana and Bacon (with sometimes honey added.) I, like Elvis, LOVE LOVE LOVE Peanut Butter! Seriously obsessed… I eat it every day either slathered on toast, added to a smoothie, as a cookie or now a cupcake! And this amazing little cupcake would not be complete without all of the special ingredients 🙂

Cupcake Ingredients

1 Cup Organic Flour (I used Whole Wheat but I suggest using All Purpose)

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 Cup Canola Oil

1/2 Cup Vanilla Bean Sugar

1/4 Cup Organic Sour Cream

2 Organic Eggs

2-3 Bananas, well ripened and mashed

6 pieces good quality Bacon, cooked crisp and chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

 In a large bowl, add the oil and the sugar. Beat with a hand-held mixer until combined. Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract. Slowly beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Incorporate the dry mixture and wet mixtures together until thoroughly combined. Add the mashed bananas and chopped bacon, being careful not to over mix. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 way full. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops turn golden-brown and when a toothpick, inserted in the middle of the cupcake, comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to a wire rack and let cool before frosting.

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 Cup Organic Powdered Sugar

1 Cup Organic Cream Cheese

3/4 Cup Organic Peanut Butter

Directions

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and peanut butter. Mix well with a hand mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time. When the cupcakes are cooled top them off with this delicious frosting and garnish with sliced banana and bacon pieces.

(I only used half of the frosting recipe because I don’t like a lot of frosting..)

Organic Açaí Berry Cupcakes topped with Roasted Cocoa Nibs

With my rising obsession with Cupcakes, I am adapting “Anti-Aging and Healthy” ways to completely indulge in these sweet treats… Therefore, the well known Superfood, Açaí, was next on my list! I paired the cakes with Roasted Cocoa Nibs, so it would compliment the taste of this luscious berry and it turned out AMAZING!!

So what is Açaí?…
Açaí is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree. It contains a remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging, with 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine. Also, Açaí has the synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health. As well as an almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration.

To make these lovely little cakes you will need:

1 1/2 Cups Organic AP Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Sea Salt

1/2 Cup Organic Cream

1 Tablespoon Organic Açaí Berry Powder

1 stick Organic Butter, unsalted & room tempurature

3/4 Cup Organic Sugar

2 Organic Eggs

For the Frosting:

1/2 stick Butter

1 Cup Organic Powdered Sugar

1/4 Cup Organic Cream

1/2 teaspoon Açaí Powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low, add half of dry ingredients, followed by the cream and Açaí. Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

Frosting:

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixture, beat the butter, powdered sugar, milk and Açaí until smooth.

The frosted Cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.

Your taste buds, body, health and skin will LOVE the benefits of these decadent cakes!!

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with a Vanilla Bean Chocolate Ganache

Guinness is one of my FAVORITE beers. So I couldn’t wait to pair it with chocolate in this exotic cupcake! The Guinness hits your palate subtly but lingers in your mouth like a taste of wine. Its deep coffee-cocoa flavor is a perfect match with the chocolate and vanilla bean ganache. So if you enjoy a good brew you will LOVE these little cakes!!

Ingredients (makes 12 cupcakes)

1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Organic Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 Cup Organic Sugar

1 Cup Organic AP Flour

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Sea Salt

6oz (half a bottle) Guinness Stout

1/2 stick Organic Butter, unsalted and melted

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Beans

1 Large Organic Egg

1/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Organic Sour Cream

Ganache

4oz Dark Chocolate, Valhorna 70%

4oz Organic Heavy Cream

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Beans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, vanilla beans, flour, baking soda and salt.

In another medium bowl, combine the Guinness and melted butter. Beat in the egg. Mix in sour cream until thoroughly combined and smooth. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

Dived the batter equally between 12 lined muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for about 12 minutes and then rotate the pan. Bake another 12 minutes until risen and toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a rack or in the muffin tin.

To make the Ganache

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and cream together. Once melted, stir in the vanilla beans. Set aside to cool. Once cooled at room temperature, dip the cupcakes into the ganache and sprinkle with cocoa powder to finish!

Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Ganache

For my 23rd birthday I wanted to make cupcakes! I had never made cupcakes before so for this special occassion it was on! Cupcakes are so perfect for a party because they are easy to eat and they do not require plates, forks, ect… So now for parties Im definately going cupcakes!

Ingredients

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

4 Tablespoons melted butter

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/3 cup buttermilk

3 Tablespoons fresh espresso

Chooclate Ganache

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped

pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cocoa powder and sugar. Whisk till blended well.

2. In another medium bowl combine the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, espresso and buttermilk. Whisk till the mixture is blended.

3. Combine the wet to the dry ingredients and fold together. Do not over mix.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15 minutes until a toothpick insert comes out clean.

To make the Ganache…

In a double boiler heat the cream, add the chocolate and sea salt, stir until the chocolate melts. Set aside and cool until you are ready to dunk your cupcakes!!

To finish.. dunk your cakes and decorate with chocolate curls.

Happy Birthday!