Apparently my mind just keeps going to darker and weirder places when brainstorming cupcake ideas.  But the end results? They keep getting better and better... This weeks confection was inspired by one of my favorite burgers in the city... Stout Burgers "Six Weeker" camembert/fig/mild jack/arugula/caramelized onions. Burgers & Cupcakes... oh my!

I pulled the sweet fig and caramelized onions out of the mix, but I wanted to add a touch of sour & savory so I decided to swap out the creamy cheese flavors for a slightly sharper blue. 

Fig & Blue BurgerCakes

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup soft blue cheese
• 1/2 cup fig jam
• 1 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
• 2 pats of butter
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup diced green onions

pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  in a bowl, combine white sugar, 1/4 cup of butter, eggs, flour, baking powder, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup soft blue cheese, 1/4 cup fig jam.  mix until combined.  in a skillet melt your pat of butter and over low heat saute your red onions with a tiny sprinkle of sugar, until they are soft and browned.  mix in half to your cupcake batter and save the other half to use as a garnish.  line your cupcake tins and fill 2/3 of the way.  bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

while your cupcakes are baking, it's time to make your mini-burger patties!  in a bowl mix your meat with worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.  make balls the size of a large marble and then flatten into 2 inch patties.  on your still hot skillet add another pat of butter to coat the pan.  grill your burger patties until they are nicely browned.  drain over paper towels.

in a bowl, mix together the rest of your blue cheese with heavy cream until it becomes a spreadable consistency.  if you need to use more cream, do so.  add in your fig jam and mix.

once you're ready to assemble, spread some of the blue cheese and fig mixture on top. garnish with a mini burger patty, a pinch of caramelized onions and a sprinkle of green onion.  enjoy!