We recently celebrated my Husband’s birthday. I love surprising him with things, especially desserts! This year I was on a quest to find something I knew he never tried and would be perfect for him. Finally, I decided on the perfect thing….Bacon Cupcakes!

I knew that my Husband would love these because he LOVES LOVES LOVES bacon. I mean we all love bacon, but he takes that love to the next level. I first realized this when I watched him make his first “bacon sandwich”…this is basically a BLT with out the “L” or “T”.

That is what made these cupcakes so perfect for him, and the bacon lover in all of us!

I have to admit that I was a bit unsure of what to expect, but trust me these will blow you away! The maple and the bacon pair perfectly together and you will wonder why you never tried these before.

This recipe starts by cooking the bacon. I find it faster to just fry the bacon in a pan. However, I actually recommend that you cook the bacon in the oven for this recipe. It will give it the perfect crispiness that you want for the garnish.

After you cook the bacon, some will be cut diagonally for garnish. However, the remaining bacon must be crumbled into small pieces to use the batter. If you have a food processor available, I have found that a few quick bursts in a food processor chops the bacon into the perfect size.

The Maple Buttercream Frosting pairs perfectly with these cupcakes. It is creamy, fluffy, and has the perfect level of sweetness!

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 T pure maple syrup
• 1/2 t pure vanilla extract
• Squirt of honey
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/8 t ground nutmeg
• 12 slices of thick-cut bacon

Makes 12-14 cupakes

Instructions

1. Cook bacon either in a frying pan or in the oven. If cooking in the oven, preheat oven to 400 degrees. It is best to place a wire cooking rack over a 9 x 13 pan in order to allow the bacon grease to drip down while cooking. Cooking time will vary per oven, but it is generally around 20-25 minutes. Be sure to flip the bacon once at the half-way point. Whichever way you cook the bacon, it is essential that you use paper towels to try to soak up most of the grease while the bacon cools.
2. Once bacon cools, cut about 3 strips into small pieces on a diagonal. These can be used to decorate your finished product. Crumble the remaining bacon in to very small pieces (I use a food processor).
3. Lower the heat on the oven to 350 degrees.
4. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugars, and eggs until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract, maple syrup, and honey.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Alternate adding the dry mixture and heavy cream to the wet mixture in the large bowl, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mixing well after each addition. Fold in bacon.
6. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Scoop batter evenly among the paper liners. Bake for about 25 minutes. The cupcakes will be done when a toothpick comes out clean, and are golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Maple Buttercream Frosting

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 4 oz of cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 t pure vanilla extract
• 1 T brown sugar
• Squirt of honey
• 1-2 cups of powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until the combination is light and fluffy. Add maple syrup, vanilla, brown sugar, and honey until the brown sugar is no longer grainy. Add powdered sugar a little bit at a time (1/2 cup), until you are happy with the texture. Continue to beat until the frosting is fluffy.
2. Frost cooled cupcakes and add bacon garnish.

Recipe inspired by Carlyklock.com

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