DC State Fair: Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes

I love chocolate and bacon! Yes, it sounds odd at first, but once you realize two of the best items on the planet got rolled into one you can't imagine life without it! I used my chocolate bacon gnache from the chocolate bacon truffles as a cupcake topping for the DC "State" Fair! 

Bring on the HEAT! Holy cow! Could it have been any hotter for DC's inaugural "State" Fair? I doubt it. I was feeling borderline heatstroke towards the end of the pie judging. And before you say, psht, yeah right, let me remind you: I'm from the desert. I know heatstroke! 

For a first run state fair, not too shabby, especially when you consider that DC is not a state. Taxation without representation. Yep, that is our "state." More than half the tents were filled with political groups and political campaigns, but it's DC after all. I get accosted by an activist every time I leave any metro station, why would I expect any less at the fair? All that was really missing was funnel cake. I'm sorry to be the one the point this out, but it will never be a true state fair until there is funnel cake. 

whirling twirling kid ride of death, the Queen of Columbia Heights pageant, and a cute kid petting a yak

I'm also hoping that there will be twirly whirly rides next year, of a larger nature than the ones you see these two children above having a good time in. No, sadly, that kid did not throw up. I think that is my second requirement for it to be a state fair: ridiculously rickety rides that make young boys throw up.  I was watching him and he looked like he had it in him, but nope, held his own on that one. He was on there a long time! Didn't take me long to figure out why. I took a little spin....turns out you can't stop. That thing is built for perpetual motion. Found that out the hard way. Many thanks to my friend Brandon who snapped pictures (which I hope never see the light of day) while laughing hysterically instead of helping me out of the whirling twirling kiddie ride of death. . 

Aside from the one "ride" (otherwise known as a playground) there were the other traditional state fair items including a petting zoo, live bands, and a rather low budget beauty pageant. I pass no judgement. Last year I entered in the Miss Punkin Chunkin Pageant after all last year for kicks and giggles. I even bought a bump it so I'd have appropriately sized hair for the occasion. :)  (he he and this year they are having a "ms" category that I think I might enter too. It was just too fun!)

Last and in no way least, was the food competitions! Pies, pickles, jams, cupcakes you name it! Did I win? NO! Some granny with a carrot cake to die for came out of nowhere with that one! Good for her! The world needs more amazing carrot cake out there. I've had one in my life I've liked. One! And with forty different cupcakes to compete against that was some stiff competition! So three cheers for a fair winning carrot cake! I also hear the watermelon rind pickles were excellent. So intrigued with that one.

All in all a great HOT day. I am so so happy to be inside instead now, happily blogging and getting rehydrated.

Chocolate Cupcakes

adapted from Chocolate Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

3 cups white sugar

5 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a cupcake pan with cupcake wrappers.

Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Pour batter into lined cupcake tins.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes minimum, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Bacon Chocolate Gnache

1 part bacon grease

1 part butter, melted

2 parts dark chocolate

Chopped up bacon to taste

Cook the bacon and measure the bacon grease in grams. Melt and equivalent amount of butter in the same pan (uncleaned to pick up more bacon flavor) you cooked the bacon in.  Add in the two parts of chocolate  and melt.

Once all is melted and combined, set aside to cool. We opted to cool ours covered in the freezer stirring frequently. Chop a few pieces of cooked bacon into tiny pieces, and set aside. We like it extra crispy for texture.

Once the mixture has cooled to a spreadable consistency, spoon it out into a stand mixture and whip at a high speed until it is light and fluffy. Fold in bacon pieces. 

Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes with Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream

Tried out a new chocolate cake recipe! It bakes up the most perfectly shaped cupcakes I’ve ever had! Moist, and rich with a deep chocolate flavor, it pairs wonderfully with the chocolate hazelnut buttercream!

chocolate buttermilk cupcakes with a chocolate hazelnut butterceam frosting

Kickball lately has been a killer. Our team started out so strong! Two wins and a tie is a pretty good record…but then we lost three games in a row, and I got clothes lined last game by a player who decided running over the wrong base was a great idea. The way WAKA sets it up there are two first bases. One on the left, and one on the right. I use one, the runner uses the other, but it acts just like one extra large base. Why??? So you can overrun first base!!! Not the first base man!!!

kick ballers on the national mall, my WAKA team's shirt/logo

Being hung out to dry like that has given me a new appreciation for kickball night: it needs cupcakes. If I’m going to come out of this black and blue, there is going to be chocolate cake waiting for me! My teammates all have a little somethin’ somethin’ in the jell-o to take the edge of. I. Need. Cake.

So I schlepped a cupcake carrier through the metro at rush hour to make it to an 8:30 staff meeting. Then after work - thank heaven for interns - I dragged it (and myself) down to the National Mall in what is shaping up to be the hottest June on record. That’s love. Hear me teammates? L-O-V-E. 

Did the pregame sugar rush make a difference? Well...um...we scored one run. Which isn't so bad. We lost 1-2, but it was probably out best played game in a month....except for the everclear chocolate pudding that may have been the cause of a batting order mix up....maybe. Hey, I didn't have any. I went third, that's all I know. 


Hope you enjoy these cupcakes! I know 3 WAKA kickball teams sure did! 

Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup dutch process cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line enough cupcake tins for 28 cupcakes.

In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

In 2-cup liquid measuring cup, mix buttermilk and vanilla.

In a stand mixer beat sugar and butter until blended on a low speed then increase speed to high for a few minutes until light and creamy. Reduce speed to low; add eggs, 1 at a time while the mixer continues to run.

Add in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately. Beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Pour half the batter into a large pastry bag and pipe into lined cupcake tins.* Repeat with the remaining batter.  Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.

*For a two 9 inch rounds bake 30 to 35 minutes. I prefer to pipe in cupcake batter to reduce air bubbles and have greater control over the amount of batter in each tin. It’s a personal preference, you can certainly spoon in the batter as you like.

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, more as needed

1 teaspoon vanilla

300 grams chocolate hazelnut spread

milk (as needed)

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using the paddle attachment. Add in the vanilla and chocolate hazelnut spread. If the mixture hardens, add a little milk. If it appears too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Continue this until it reaches the consistency you’d like.

Enjoy!