I always make these sorts of resolutions, if you will.
Not resolutions about diet or exercise, but little creative promises I make to myself about food and photography. I tell myself I’ll aim for classic, elegant dishes—things that could live inside a Martha Stewart book. I imagine west-coast minimalism or European-inspired styling with soft pastels and antique silverware, and I decide to try to be more patient and precise.
In the name of growth, I stack plates high, balance precariously on chairs and contort myself to get that perfect overhead, “classy” shot.
And then I make peanut butter bacon banana cupcakes and all that pretension flies out the window. This flavor combo is indulgent and loud — not at all refined. Calories? Yes. Richness? Absolutely. Elegance? Not even close. My grandmothers would probably tilt their heads and ask, “What on earth are you doing?” in the gentlest way possible.
These cupcakes are not “lovely.” They’re dense, gooey brown sugar banana cupcakes topped with a big, fluffy peanut butter frosting and shards of freshly fried, crispy bacon. Lovely implies robin’s egg blue napkins and perfect balsamic drizzles. These cupcakes are the opposite: provocative, a little alarming, and unapologetically over-the-top.
But there’s something honest about not forcing elegance. If I tried to make everything polished and restrained, I’d lose the fun. In fashion terms, are these cupcakes edgy or frumpy? I don’t know — but eating one more cupcake will definitely put me on the edge of being frumpy. Totally worth it.
After making, photographing and, yes, eating these cupcakes, I panicked for a second—had I already posted something like this? I have a tendency to reinvent the wheel and then realize I did the same thing months ago. But it turns out I made peanut butter bacon banana bread before, which is different from cupcakes. Cupcakes are portable little treats, pure dessert and clearly a different animal than banana bread, which I firmly categorize as a snack.
These are dessert: ridiculous, trashed-up, and delicious. No pretense necessary.
Bacon Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting + a Bourbon Drizzle
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Ingredients
Brown Sugar Banana Cupcakes
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, if needed
- 8 slices cooked bacon, cut in half or thirds
Bourbon Drizzle
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup bourbon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
Brown Sugar Banana Cupcakes
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Whisk the egg, then stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add sour cream and melted butter and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, then fold in the mashed bananas. The batter will be thick—use an ice cream scoop or 1/4-cup measure to portion into liners. Bake 15–18 minutes and cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
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Beat softened butter and peanut butter together until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, starting on low and increasing to high speed, until you have a smooth frosting. Add vanilla and beat 2–3 minutes on medium-high. If too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Frost cooled cupcakes and top with bacon pieces.
Bourbon Drizzle
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Combine brown sugar, bourbon and butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Boil 1–2 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook 3–4 more minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature; the syrup will thicken slightly to a pourable consistency.
Notes
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