Savory Cupcakes 2: Black Pepper Cornbread "Cupcakes" with Mexican Peppered Cream Cheese "Frosting"

First things first, Happy Friday!  What a week...I so glad it is almost the weekend!  So, lets talk about these cupcakes...

Is that a screen print of a pig in the background with a cupcake that has bacon on it? YES  For my second savory cupcake I went in a completely different flavor direction from the first one; the first being a tomato basil cupcake with garlic herb goat cheese frosting.  Black pepper and Mexican cheese are the stars here.  The black pepper gives this crumbly traditional cornbread great flavor.  The Mexican cheese combined with the cream cheese in this "frosting" scream for this cupcake to be served with chili on the spring days that are still freezing cold that we keep having in D.C.  The bacon topper, well everything is better with bacon, plus it adds great flavor and texture.  So if you are (1) like me and love cornbread or (2) are a savory over sweet person, then give these a try and enjoy!

Laying out my ingredients for the black pepper cornbread.

Sift all of the dry ingredients together.

Then mix in the wet ingredients just until combined.

Into the paper liners and then into the oven.

Perfect cornbread cupcakes.

Cream the cream cheese with the back of a fork and then work in the shredded Mexican cheese.  Non-fat Greek yogurt is going to help then this out a bit.

 

Black Pepper Cornbread "Cupcake":
*makes 1 dozen cupcakes
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup self-rising flour
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon black pepper

Mexican Peppered Cream Cheese "Frosting":
4 oz (1/2 block) 1/3 fat cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups Mexican cheese blend (or cheddar cheese) (I used a low-fat Mexican cheese blend)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4-6 tablespoon non-fat plain Greek yogurt
3-4 pieces of bacon

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

2.  In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cornmeal, self-rising flour and black pepper.

3.  Then all in one mixture, mix in the milk, oil and butter.  Stir just until combined.

4.  Divide the better evenly between the paper liners, filling them 3/4 full.  I like to use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to fill the paper liners.  Bake until puffed and golden, approximately minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes, and then move to a cooling rack until cornbread is at room temperature.

5.  To make the frosting, work the cream cheese with the back of a fork until creamy.  Then work in the black pepper and Mexican cheese.  This will seem super thick, but the Greek yogurt will thin it out.  Work in the Greek yogurt, on tablespoon at a time, until frosting has reached the consistency of a very thick dip.  If you are not going to be serving these right away, place the cheese frosting back into the refrigerator until 30 minutes before serving.  Bring frosting to room temperature and frost the cupcakes.

6.  If serving right away, cook the bacon according to the instructions on the package, until it is at that tender but on the verge of crunchy.  Let cool and then break into pieces for the tops of the cupcakes.

7.  Frost the cooled cornbread cupcakes, top with bacon, serve and Enjoy!