Last weekend, we celebrated 95 amazing years with my great-grandmother, Mom Buck.  I miss her like crazy already, but I am so grateful to have had her influence in my life. To celebrate her life and love of cooking, I thought I'd create a recipe combining 2 of her favorite things: Bacon and Butter Pecan Ice Cream.  You don't have to make the Butter Pecan Ice Cream from scratch, but man, I've never had ice cream so delicious (even if I did write the recipe!).  I hope you enjoy this as much as I've enjoyed writing it! 

To Mom Buck - I love you and I know that it probably tasted better in Heaven than it does here! 

I have entered this recipe in two contests.  One contest is the 2010 Ice Cream Cupcake Roundup sponsored by Cupcake Project and Scoopalicious. Wish me luck!

Topped with candied bacon bits

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1 T. bacon drippings, cooled (brown 6 slices of thick bacon and chop for topping, reserve 1 T. for this and 1 T. drippings for frosting)

• 2/3 cup brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup plain yogurt

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (if desired).

2. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In another large mixing bowl, cream together butter, bacon drippings and brown sugar until light.

4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract.

5. Stir in yogurt and maple syrup.

6. Gradually blend in the flour mixture, stirring only until batter is just combined.

7. Divide evenly into muffin cups.

8. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

9. Cool completely before frosting.

Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 3/4 brown sugar

• 4 egg yolks, beaten

• 1 c. half-and-half

• 1 c. heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

   

1. In a small skillet over medium heat, saute pecans in butter until lightly browned, stirring frequently.

2. Set aside.

3. Combine the creams in a saucepan and heat them until they simmer.

4. Combine yolks and sugar, mix well. Slowly add a cup of simmering liquid to the egg mixture to temper the eggs, then pour the warmed egg mixture into the saucepan and cook the mixture until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.

5. Remove from heat and add vanilla and buttered pecans.

6. Cool in the refrigerator a few hours and then mix in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

• 1/2 c. butter, softened

• 1 T. bacon drippings

• 2 T. maple syrup

• 2-3 T. heavy cream

• 2-3 c. powdered sugar

• 2 T. bacon bits (reserve drippings for cupcakes and this frosting)

   

1. Combine butter, maple syrup and bacon drippings and mix until combined.

2. Add heavy cream and 2 cups confectioners sugar in a large bowl and beat at medium-high speed until smooth.

3. Add remaining sugar in gradually until frosting reaches desired thickness.

4. If the frosting gets too thick, add more milk and if too thin, add more sugar, gradually.

5. Stir in bacon bits and pipe onto cupcakes, on top of a scoop of butter pecan ice cream.

6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

   
   

Let me know if you try it!