Stuffed French Toast Bacon Cupcakes

Since we talked about baking bacon last week, I figured this was the time to finally share my Stuffed French Toast Bacon Cupcake with Whipcream Frosting.

I saw this on pintrest (and tweeked it a bit as usual) and just needed to find a reason to make it. A co-worker of mine left for a new department and when someone leaves we had a foodfest. Well with his love of Bacon, it became "Bacon Fest 2012"... so I submit to you a crazy insane idea, that when I changed department they found out about it and I made if for a department event.

Here goes nothing...

Stuffed French Toast Bacon Cupcakes with Whip Cream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 c butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c bacon grease (replace with butter if this scares you)
2 c sugar
3 c flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c milk (at room temp)
3 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp maple syurp (I use butter flavored)
6 large eggs (separated)
1 c Bacon (chopped into pieces)* you can put as much as you want of the bacon in the cupcake, I make a whole package and use about a 1/3 of a cup to top the cupcakes.


Directions:
1. Cook bacon and save bacon grease. If you don't have a full half cup just sub butter for the difference, or if you want to use less same deal, sub butter.  Simple way to make it is to bake it, which I blogged about last week. You can learn to bake bacon right here!  

2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.

3. In a small bowl, mix milk and vanilla.

4. In a stand mixer (or bowl to use a hand mixer with) cream butter, bacon grease and sugar on low until fully incorporated.
 
5. Add egg yolks to butter mixture one at a time. Save the egg whites for a later step.

6. Add flour and milk mixtures until incorporated. Add bacon to mixture. 

7. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites on high until peaks are formed. Fold into mixture.

8.  Fill baking cups about 1/2 full.

9. Bake at 375*F for about 20 mins.


"Stuffed" Filling:
1 cup cream cheese, softened and cut into small cubes
1 tbsp. milk
1 1/3 cups confectioners/powdered sugar

Directions
Using a hand mixer, stand mixer or a whisk, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, until the desired thickness is reached.

I pipe this into the middle of the cupcakes after they have cooled to give it a feel of "stuffed french toast." If you don't have a piping back you can take a gallon plastic bag. Make sure its a good quality one or you may end up with random holes as you're piping. You can take a knife and punch a small whole in the top to make it easier without a frosting tip. You're only going to put in about a teaspoon or so into the cupcake, its just enough to give dimension to the cupcake.


Whip Cream Frosting:
16 oz cream cheese
1-1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 c heavy whipping cream, cold

1. In large bowl beat cream cheese, powder sugar and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl beat heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks.
3. Add whip cream to mixture and quickly combine, beat briefly.
4. Pipe on the top of the cupcake