Lily Vanilli’s Bacon and Fairtrade Banana Cupcakes

Chef #1558539's Note:

With Fairtrade Fortnight right around the corner, what better time to try out some delicious and unusual baked treats created especially for the occasion by cupcake queen Lily Vanilli. These are so delicious that you'll want to bake them all year round, but I think they taste even better during Fairtrade Fortnight! The FAIRTRADE Mark is the only independent consumer label that ensures farmers in developing countries receive an agreed and stable price for the crops they grow. Choosing Fairtrade versions of everyday staples such as tea, coffee and sugar needn't cost you much more (and in the case of the Tate & Lyle cane sugars I've specified, there is no price premium), but will make a massive difference to the lives of the farmers and their families!

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 10.0 cupcakes

• 4 slices unsmoked organic back bacon
• 150 g ripe fairtrade bananas (approx 2 small)
• 60 g fairtrade honey
• 100 g unsalted organic butter (at room temperature)
• 40 g tate & lyle fairtrade caster sugar
• 140 g organic plain flour (sifted)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 large free-range organic eggs (at room temperature)
• handful fairtrade brazil nut (toasted & chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fairtrade nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fairtrade ground cinnamon
• 12 paper, cupcake cases

Frosting

• 55 g unsalted organic butter (at room temperature)
• 325 g tate & lyle fairtrade icing sugar
• 114 ml organic double cream
• 2 tablespoons fairtrade honey

Directions:

1. Lay rashers of bacon on a foil lined sheet and place in a cold oven with the temperature set to 200c for approx 20 mins or until crispy. Allow to cool.
2. Turn heat down to 180c.
3. Mash bananas with honey in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Sift together all the dry ingredients into a large bowl - flour, sugar, baking powder, salt.
5. Cut butter into small chunks and add to the dry ingredients, blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until evenly incorporated.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
7. Mix in the banana/honey mixture, spices and Brazil nuts to taste.
8. Spoon into cupcakes cases, filling almost to the top .
9. Bake in preheated oven for 15 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
10. Remove and leave to cool in the pans for approx 3 mins - then transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
11. Frosting.
12. Beat the butter until smooth, then add half of the sugar, the double cream.
13. and the honey.
14. Continue beating, slowly adding the rest of the sugar to achieve a smooth, even texture.
15. Ice each cooled cupcake with a thick swirl of frosting and top with strips of cooled bacon and chopped Brazil nuts.