Maple Bacon Cupcakes filled with Creamy Banana Custard - Gluten Free

This is my version of a breakfast cupcakes... everything i would want with pancakes. Pancakes or waffles are my favourite breakie, and which only goes better with crispy bacon, fried banana and lots of maple syrup! Has taken me about 6 months to finally get around to creating these master pieces. I knew what elements i needed to include but it was coming up with what and how that was the issue. Finally on Wednesday morning it came to me so i got creating. 
These cupcakes start off with a slightly cinnamon spiced fluffy vanilla cake. I then made a thick and creamy vanilla custard which i mashed over ripe banana into and filled the centre of the cakes. Then iced with a maple cream cheese and finally topped with the crispy maple bacon!
At first, i was unsure of how the bacon (savoury and salty) would work with the rest of the cupcake. Was very pleasantly surprised how well it worked on the palette, kind of like salted caramel, the flavours really balanced well. Next time i might use blueberries in the custard rather than banana and see how that works out. Enjoy the recipes xx

Vanilla and cinnamon spiced cupcakes:
1 cups Gluten Free Baking Flour*
1/2 cup Ground Almonds 
1 teaspoons Baking Powder **
100 g softened unsalted butter 
1/4 cup Castor Sugar 
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2 eggs 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
1/2 cup milk 

 * Can also use regular flour if not needing to be GF 

** Doubled check to make sure these products do not contain Gluten 

Method: Preheat oven to 170°C. Line two 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake papers. (I made mini cupcakes so lined 2x 24 mini muffin tin cases with papers).

Beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth and light in colour. Add brown & caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy, add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and mix well.

Add the flour, milk, ground almonds, baking powder and cinnamon, beat till just combined. Be careful not to over-mix as this will toughen the mixture and result in a heavy cupcakes.

Spoon or scoop mixture into cupcake papers, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 16–18 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted comes out clean. (if you are making mini cupcakes bake for 10-12 mins, so a little golden on top) Remove cupcakes from the trays after 5 mins and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before frosting.

Thick and Creamy Vanilla Custard + Banana:
2 cups milk 
2 egg yolks 
½ cup sugar 
1 tbsp flour (Can use gluten free all purpose flour or corn flour)

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 medium sized Banana, over ripe is best for taste

Method: Heat milk until small bubbles form around edge. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks with sugar and flour until smooth. Whisk in hot milk. Transfer to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce comes to a simmer. Cook 1 minute longer then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Once custard has cooled, mash banana and fold through custard. This can be made a few hours or even a day in advance to ensure it is cooled in time to fill cupcakes.

Maple Cream Cheese icing:
150g Cream Cheese 
100g Butter 
3 1/2 cup Icing Sugar 
1 T Milk (may need more or less depending on desired consistency) 
2 tsp Vanilla Essence or Vanilla paste 
1 tsp Maple Flavour Oil (i use LorAnn Flavours)

Method: Beat cream cheese on high until light and whipped. Add the butter and continue to beat till light and fluffy. Add vanilla, maple oil and icing sugar (about 1 cup at a time) till icing has a fluffy and whipped constancy - this may require more or less milk than stated in the recipe. 

Candied Bacon:
6 rashers of Bacon (Depends on how much bacon you want to top the cupcakes - i used 6 rashers and wish i did more. Seems like a large amount but reduces in size when cooked)
1/4 cup Brown sugar 
2 tablespoon butter 

Method: Preheat oven to 200 degrees and prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper. 

Chop bacon in small pieces. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over a medium heat. Once melted, add half the brown sugar (can add more if you think it needs it later). Add half the bacon and cook for 5 mins or till cooked though. Turn it onto the prepared baking tray. Repeat these steps with the remaining bacon.

Grill bacon for 5-7mins or till crispy. Make sure the bacon is even spread and may need stirring around the tray to evenly grill. 

Leave to cool and your ready to go.

Assembling the cupcakes: 
You will need the: 1. Vanilla Cupcakes - recipe as above, 2. Banana Custard - recipe as above or this can be store bought and add the banana, 3. The Maple Cream Cheese icing all ready to go and 4. Candied Bacon.

Using a small knife, cut a small hole in the middle of the cupcakes and core the inside (this will not be used to feel free to eat it and taste test). Fill the cupcakes with the banana custard - easiest to pipe this but you can also spoon it in. Pipe the maple cream cheese icing over the top  of the cupcake - make sure this is a smooth constancy. Sprinkle the candied bacon over the top of icing - you may want to add sprinkles or flowers to the top also if you wish! Enoy xx

Banoffee Spiced Cake filled with Dulce de Leche and Caramelised Banana - Gluten Free

This was the birthday cake made for a very special friend of mine. Years ago we used to go camping where there is no electricity, hence baking options are very limited. Being me, this did not stop dessert from happening. We would take biscuits bases and caramel sauce made before me left and fill it on the night with chopped banana, whipped cream and chocolate. Nothing better than that on a hot summers night on the beach in the beautiful Bay of island in New Zealand. This inspired this banoffee cake so here we go. 
The cake starts with a cinnamon and ginger spiced vanilla sponge, filled with fluffy vanilla butter cream, homemade Dulce de Leche, candied banana and chopped hokey pokey squiggle biscuits!
Happy Birthday Georgia and everyone else enjoy the recipe xx

Ingredients:

2 cups Gluten free baking flour (I use Healtheries Baking mix)*

2/3 cup of corn flour **

1 tsp baking powder**

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp allspice 

1/2 tsp ground ginger 

½ tsp baking soda (dissolve in the milk)

1 teaspoon salt 

4 large eggs 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup caster sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup milk (room temperature or microwave for 20secs)

* Can also use regular flour if not needing to be GF

** Doubled check to make sure these products do not contain Gluten

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray / line two 7inch cake pans. 

Beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth and light in colour. Add brown & caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy, add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and mix well

Add the flour, milk, corn flour, baking powder and ground spices be careful not to over mix, beat till just combined. Be careful not to over-mix as this will toughen the mixture and result in a heavy cake.

Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 25-30min or till golden. Insert a tooth pick towards the centre of the cake, if this come out clean, the cake is done. Leave to cook for 10 minutes before taking out of the pan and cooling on a rack.

Once the cakes are cool, use a wire cuter (if you have one) or a sharp knife to cut each of the cakes in half - this will create the layer of the cake.

Caramel sauce:

Ingredients 

1 cup (200 grams) dark brown sugar 

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 56 grams) butter 

salt (a pinch for classic caramel sauce or ½ teaspoon for salted caramel) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Instructions 

In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, heavy whipping cream, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer for about 4 minutes, whisking occasionally. 

Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla extract (be careful, the mixture is hot) and stir. Let mixture cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then pour into a jar. 

Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 5 days). Warm it up in the microwave before using.

Vanilla buttercream frosting: 

Ingredients: 

150g softened unsalted butter 

1/4 cup milk 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

4 cups icing sugar 

MAKES 4 cups of frosting - KEEPS 1 week

Method:

Cream the butter for 2-5 minutes till light and fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla extract and half of the sifted icing sugar, and beat for at least 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat for a further 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy and of a spreadable consistency. Add extra milk if the mixture is too dry or extra icing sugar if the mixture is too wet. If you wish to colour and/or flavour the buttercream then this is the time to do it. Add a drop at a time and beat in until you reach the required colour and/or flavour. 

Caramelised banana:

2 medium banana - chop into 1 cm pieces 

Butter for frying pan 

Method:

Heat a medium-large fry pan and melt a generous amount of butter to grease the pan. Once sizzling place the banana carefully in the pan. Fry for a few minutes until golden brown and flip to complete. Cool in the fridge before using on the cake. note: all banana may not fit in the pan at once so repeat till all it cooked. Can add more or less banana for desired flavour. 

Assembly:

You will need the: 1. Caramel Sauce - recipe as above, 2. The ready cut equal layers of the spiced sponge cake, 3. The Vanilla Buttercream all ready to go and 4. Pre-made Caramelised Banana and chopped squiggle biscuits!

Place one layer of the cake on your chosen board, cake plate or turn table. Add the layer of the Caramel sauce and spread around the middle of the cake, leave the edged clean. Pipe or carefully spread the vanilla buttercream around the edges and continue to fill the rest of the layer with icing. Sprinkle 1/2 of the banana and the chopped biscuits evenly over the buttercream and caramel.

Add the next layer of cake and continue these steps for the next layer of cake. 

Add the top layer of the cake and ice as desired. Now is the time to add any sprinkles or flowers if you are wanting to use any <3 ENJOY

Spiced Brown Sugar Sponge with Salted Caramel and Maple Buttercream - Gluten Free

It has been a while since I have had time to get in the kitchen and create more sweet goodness. After exams I was really hoping to be able to add a lot on here but sadly with work and other commitments I really haven't had any time at all. Now being my last day on holiday, I am making sure it is a baking day so this was the first creation!

This is a cake I have been meaning to make for a while. It starts with a brown sugar sponge, spiced with cinnamon, allspice and ginger. These spices help cut through the super sweetness of the cake. It is filled with a home made salted caramel sauce and maple butter cream. The maple oil in the buttercream adds to the complexity of the caramel and smokey flavour. I also toasted a little coconut and sprinkled this though out the layer however this is optional or could also be done with candied apple or poached pear, yum! This was also my first attempt at dribbling white chocolate ganache down the side of the cake and although this needs work, hopeI'm off to a good start.

Enjoy the recipe xx

Ingredients:

2 cups Gluten free baking flour (I use Healtheries Baking mix)*

2/3 cup of corn flour **

1 tsp baking powder**

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp allspice 

1/2 tsp ground ginger 

½ tsp baking soda (dissolve in the milk)

1 teaspoon salt 

4 large eggs 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup caster sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup milk (room temperature or microwave for 20secs)

* Can also use regular flour if not needing to be GF

** Doubled check to make sure these products do not contain Gluten

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray / line two 7inch cake pans. 

Beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth and light in colour. Add brown & caster sugar and beat until light and fluffy, add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and mix well

Add the flour, milk, corn flour, baking powder and ground spices be careful not to over mix, beat till just combined. Be careful not to over-mix as this will toughen the mixture and result in a heavy cake.

Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 25-30min or till golden. Insert a tooth pick towards the centre of the cake, if this come out clean, the cake is done. Leave to cook for 10 minutes before taking out of the pan and cooling on a rack.

Once the cakes are cool, use a wire cuter (if you have one) or a sharp knife to cut each of the cakes in half - this will create the layer of the cake.

Caramel sauce:

Ingredients 

1 cup (200 grams) dark brown sugar 

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 56 grams) butter 

salt (a pinch for classic caramel sauce or ½ teaspoon for salted caramel) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Instructions 

In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, heavy whipping cream, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer for about 4 minutes, whisking occasionally. 

Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla extract (be careful, the mixture is hot) and stir. Let mixture cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then pour into a jar. 

Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 5 days). Warm it up in the microwave before using.

See more here: http://prettysimplesweet.com/quick-easy-caramel-sauce/ 

Vanilla buttercream frosting: 

Ingredients: 

125g softened unsalted butter 

1/4 cup milk 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

4 cups icing sugar 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

A few drops of maple oil, to taste 

MAKES 4 cups of frosting - KEEPS 1 week 

Cream the butter for 1–2 minutes. Add the milk, vanilla extract and half of the sifted icing sugar, and beat for at least 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat for a further 3 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy and of a spreadable consistency. Add extra milk if the mixture is too dry or extra icing sugar if the mixture is too wet. If you wish to colour and/or flavour the buttercream then this is the time to do it. Add a drop at a time and beat in until you reach the required colour and/or flavour. Pipe or use a round edge kitchen knife to apply the buttercream to the cupcake.

Assembly:

You will need the: 1. Salted Caramel Sauce - recipe as above, 2. The ready cut equal layers of the brown sponge cake and 3. The Maple Buttercream all ready to go (4. option white chocolate ganache which can be seen as i dribbled over the top of the cake).

Place one layer of the cake on your chosen board, cake plate or turn table. Add the layer of the Caramel sauce and spread around the middle of the cake, leave the edged clean. Pipe or carefully spread the maple buttercream around the edges and continue to fill the rest of the layer with icing. (Optional: Sprinkle with toasted coconut or fruit even throughout the layer of the cake). Add the next layer of cake and continue these steps. If you are using ganache, pour over the top of the cake and slowly and carefully pour over the edges to create the dribbles. Wait for this to set and continue to ice over the top of the cake. Now is the time to add any sprinkles or flowers if you are wanting to use any <3 ENJOY