Foodista: Savory Cupcakes
Cupcakes don't make the world go round, but they do come pretty close – and not just the sweet ones! Savory cupcakes are a modern twist on the classic sweet versions that we're all used to, and have been popping up all over the country as of late... and with offerings like lasagna, maple bacon, and caprese, it's not hard to see why. Cupcakes are just such a cute, dainty way to serve up deliciousness, and coupled with my love of bite size things, this trend is ideal. If you're new to the savory concept, here are a few great recipes to get you started:
Bacon Maple Cupcakes (from Delish)
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
- 1 1/2 cup(s) cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1 tablespoon(s) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
- 2 stick(s) (1-cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
- 1 3/4 cup(s) sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon(s) maple extract
- 1 1/4 cup(s) milk
Ganache
- 2 cup(s) heavy cream
- 1 pound(s) semisweet chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips
- Pinch of salt
- bacon
Directions
- Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the cupcake pans with your choice of cupcake liners. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in maple extract. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition.
- Using an ice cream scoop, fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes until golden and the tester comes out clean. (Or until your house smells like pancakes!)
- Ganache: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cream to a full boil; turn off heat. Add chocolate, and swirl pan to completely cover with cream. Slowly whisk mixture until smooth. (To get silky-smooth ganache takes longer to mix than you think!) Add salt; stir until combined. Transfer to a clean bowl and let chill overnight or until spreadable.
- When cupcakes have cooled, spread some ganache on top. Chill for a minute or two. While the cupcakes are chilling, cook up some of your favorite bacon however you like it. (Crunchy and toasted is recommended.) Chop in pieces, top the cupcakes, and voila !
Goat Cheese, Fig, and Onion Cupcakes (from Cupcake Project)
Ingredients
For Cupcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon backing powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup grilled onions
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup fig spread
- ½ cup goat cheese
For Frosting
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup goat cheese
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fig spread
- grilled onions
Directions
For Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and set aside.
- In a blender, liquefy eggs, sugar, grilled onions, butter, fig spread, and goat cheese.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just integrated.
- Divide batter evenly between twelve cupcake liners.
- Bake for twenty-five minutes or until the tops bounce back when lightly touched.
For Frosting
- Mix the butter and goat cheese until creamy.
- Mix in the powdered sugar until incorporated.
- Mix in the fig spread.
- Spread on cupcakes.
- Optionally, top with grilled onions.
T's Meaty Lasagna Cupcakes
I had to include my very own recipe for lasagna cupcakes. Bite sized and delicious, what more could a girl ask for?
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 cup minced onion
- 3 gloves garlic, crushed
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 2 (6.5 ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
- 1 tablespoon salt (or more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 bags (approximately) shredded mozzarella
- Lots of grated parmesan cheese
- Cupcake pan
Directions:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil on high.
- When hot, add onion and garlic and heat on medium.
- When starting to brown, add ground beef and sausage.
- When all is well browned, drain liquid and transfer to a large pot.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water.
- Season with basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours to reduce and thicken sauce, stirring occasionally.
- Fill another large pot with water and add a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil.
- Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, then drain noodles and rinse with cold water.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Italian parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and approximately 1 cup grated parmesan.
- Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray the cupcake pan with cooking spray
- Line each cupcake tin with two lasagna noodles that you wrap around the tin so make a cupcake holder base
- In the center, add the meat sauce, ricotta mixture, mozzarella and Parmesan
- Cover with foil and bake for about 15-20 minutes (until the cheese is melted and bubbling, but not burnt)
Mini Pepperjack Savory Cupcakes with Creamy Pesto Swirl (from Babble's Family Kitchen)
Ingredients
Mini Pepper Jack Savory Cups
- 1 ball plain pizza dough
- ½ cup pepper jack cheese
- olive oil for brushing
Creamy Pesto Frosting
- ¾ cup soaked cashews – drained
- 2 tablespoons water water
- 1 cup fresh basil
- ½ avocado
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup walnuts (add more to thicken as needed)
- 8 small cloves raw garlic
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- salt to taste
- optional: ½ jalapeno or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for spice.
Garnish: finely diced fresh tomato and fresh basil leaves
Directions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place small balls of dough in each tiny muffin cup. Brush balls with olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of cheese on top of each.
- Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
- For Creamy Pesto Frosting, add all ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Salt to taste – and add more lemon juice to thin further or more walnuts to thicken. You can add in a half a jalapeno – or spices like cayenne or red pepper flakes as desired.
- Chill frosting until ready to use. Then use frosting tip to swirl on top.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and diced fresh tomato.
Cheddar Scallion Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese (from MingMakesCupcakes)
Ingredients
Cupcake
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ stick butter, melted
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup chopped scallions
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, whipped
- scallions
Directions
Cupcakes
- Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add eggs, melted butter, and cheddar, beating until combined.
- Add sour cream and scallions and mix until combined. Mixture will be light and fluffy.
- Drop by spoonful into greased small muffin pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Best served warm or reheated in oven.
Frosting
- Top cupcakes with a dollop of whipped cream and slivers of scallions cut along the diagonal.
Savory Italian Meatloaf Cupcakes (from Kelley Ward)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed or extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 teaspoons (about 5 cloves) garlic, chopped
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell peppers, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 4 eggs, large, one for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon salt, kosher
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, black
- 1 cup Asiago cheese, grated
- 1 cup authentic Italian breadsticks, crushed or substitute with breadcrumbs
- 2 pounds ground beef, lean
- 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- 1 cup marinara sauce, plain or spicy if desired
- 1 pre-packaged puff pastry, defrosted
- 1 small can pesto sauce, if desired
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or coat a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil in a 5.5 quart or medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and red bell peppers and sauté for 1 minute. Add garlic and sauté until onions and peppers are just soft. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl whisk three eggs, add basil and season with salt and pepper.
- In another small bowl combine the Asiago cheese and crushed authentic Italian breadcrumbs.
- In a large bowl combine the meat with the basil and egg mixture. Add Asiago cheese, breadcrumbs, and balsamic glaze to the large bowl. Using your hands, mix ingredients until just combined.
- Take out one puff pastry sheet and place onto a lightly floured surface area. Unfold the thawed pastry sheet. Roll the pastry sheet into the size you need. Using a pizza cutter or knife cut the sheets into the number of pastries you need. One pastry sheet makes 9 cups. Press pastries into muffin pan cups. Fill cups with 1 ounce of meat mixture.
- Top with marinara, cheese, and a dab of prepared pesto if desired.
- Whisk the fourth egg for an egg wash. Brush the visible surface of the pastry with the egg wash.
- Place the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling, pastry is golden brown, and meat has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Mouthwatering, right?
What's your favorite out-of-the-box foodie trend? Let me know in the comments and I just might feature it in a post down the road.
Related Stories:
Creative Ways to Eat an Avocado
Foodie Find: Forkly
Foodista: Grilled Cheese Gone Gourment
Foodista: Pudding Parade
8 comments
-
That look really good and tasted I would like to have the recipe for all the little goodie and is your come back on tv soon with your whole familys......................
-
These look delicious! I never really liked cupcakes because I'm more of the savory eater. Therefore... love these ideas!!! :) The only exception is tea cupcakes! Does anyone have any recipes for earl grey, chai, or rose tea cupcakes?
-
ohhh yours and the cheddar scallion ones sound awesome! for the most part I say let a cupcake be a cupcake! :)
-
With summerholiday just around the corner and bad, bad weather all over the place, these are just perfect to make with the bambini! We'll throw a cupcakeparty, hell a Cupcake Week! Love to have a go for it. And thanks for the ganacherecipe, I'm hosting a 40th Birthday bash for the hubs tomorrow and was looking for an easy ganacherecipe to go with my 'manly' whiskeycupcakes, this will be perfect! Will definitely put the bacon on it as well.
Our out-of-the-box favourite is Nigella's gooey selfsaucing Chocolate Chilli Cinnamon Pudding. We eat this about every week when fall falls and it helps us through the long and dark winter. Absolute delish served hot with good quality vanilla icecream, even the kids love it! It doesn't look very fancy though, let your tastebuds be your guide this time, not your sense of style!)
The recipe (by Nigella Lawson, from her cookbook Feast, highly recommended!):
Butter for greasing pudding dish
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (sometimes I use flakes)
1 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup best-quality cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup corn oil
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum (you also can use another 60 ml water, strong coffee or any other
liqueur of your likings, we prefer the water or coffee variety, but rum
is on the original recipe)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 8-cup pudding or soufflé dish.
Set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda,
salt, cinnamon, chili, superfine sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. In
small bowl, mix milk, vanilla and oil. Pour into flour mixture. Mix by
hand for thick smooth batter.
2. Spoon batter into pudding dish, and smooth the top. Pour 3/8 cup
water into a small pan. Set over high heat, and bring to boil. In
small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup cocoa with brown sugar, making
sure there are no lumps. Spread evenly across the batter. Gently pour boiling
water over it, and top with rum or the liquid of your choice. (This might sound odd,
but the liquid makes the sauce while baking in the oven)
3. Bake pudding until top is a bubbling sponge and center is wobbly
and liquid, about 30 minutes. To serve, spoon out portions that
include some of the top and chocolate sauce beneath. If desired,
accompany with vanilla ice cream.
-
These look and sound amazing! Definitnely going to try some of these recipes! Thx for sharing :)
-
-
I almost want to make these just to serve my children because I think the looks on their faces would be classic! ;) Seriously, though, the bacon one looks DELICIOUS! Yum!
http://www.thedoseofreality.com/2012/07/11/the-part-of-oprah-today-will-be-played-by-me/
-
Join the Discussion!