Elvis Cupcakes

Cupcakes

• Preheat a fan-forced oven to 160C (320F) or 180C (356F) for a conventional oven. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
• To prepare bacon add bacon to a hot fry pan and grill until crispy and golden on both sides. Set aside on paper towels to let fat drain. Once they’ve cooled, cut into shards.
• To prepare caramelized bananas: slice bananas and add to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake on 160C (320F) for 25 min, mixing each 5 min to allow bananas to cook evenly. Set aside to cool.
• To prepare cinnamon toast, (and guys this is completely optional, see notes): Use a round cookie cutter (60mm) to cut out discs of bread. Place discs on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spray with cooking oil and sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon sugar. Set aside to add to your cupcakes later on before you bake them.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt. Turn mixer on low speed and allow it to mix for a couple minutes to help everything combine well (alternatively you may do this by sifting the ingredients together). Add the softened butter and let it mix until it resembles a fine sand like texture.
• Next, add milk, eggs, yogurt, oil and vanilla extract in a large jug and whisk well.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients in a slow and steady stream until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl, add caramelized banana and mix for another 20 seconds.
• Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the way (using an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter into the cupcake liners makes this a quick and easy process otherwise you can use two tablespoons). Place a cinnamon toast disc on top of each cupcake and press it in slightly. Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.
• To prepare buttercream frosting, add peanuts butter to frosting and mix until well combined. Fit the end of a piping bag with an open star tip and frost in a swirl. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and sprinkle with crushed nuts. To finish off place a crown of crispy bacon shards on top.