Maple Bacon Cupcakes

As a Canadian, I wanted to make something down to my roots.  What isn’t more Canadian than Maple Bacon Cupcakes?! Unless you can add some poutine or Beavertails to the mix, it’s pretty darn close!  These were a huge hit on Canada Day!  They will definitely be made again!

Makes 20-24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

• 8-10 Bacon Strips
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups Granulated Sugar
• 3 Eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup Milk, at room temperature
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 3 tsp Maple Extract
• Maple syrup, to garnish

FROSTING

• ½ cup Butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup Cream Cheese
• 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
• 2 cups Icing Sugar
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Place the bacon strips on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for about 15 minutes until brown and crispy.  Let it cool, then chop the strips into bits.  Set aside some of the bacon bits to use as a garnish.

Bring down the oven temperature to 350°F and line the muffin pan with cupcake liners.   Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the butter with the granulated sugar until lighter and fluffier.  Add the eggs one at a time and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula.  Add the dry ingredients mix in 3 additions alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry mix.  Scrape the sides again, add the vanilla and maple extract and whisk for another 2 minutes.

Add in the bacon and mix well.  Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and fill the cupcake liner to 2/3 full.  Bake for about 25 minutes.  I only had one pan of 12, so I kept the remaining batter in the fridge while the first batch baked and cooled.

Check the cupcakes with a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean. Poke some holes with a toothpick and drizzle some maple syrup over the cupcakes.  Set aside and let the cupcakes cool.

Prepare the frosting by mixing the butter and cream cheese.  Slowly add the maple syrup.  Add the icing sugar with cinnamon and mix slowly at first.  When all the sugar is incorporated whisk it at a medium speed.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and whisk some more.  Add a bit of milk if the frosting is too stiff.

Ice the cupcakes with frosting.  Add the reserved bacon bits on top. Drizzle with maple syrup.

Source: Make Fabulous Cakes