Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Maple Cupcakes with Maple Frosting and Bacon Bits


For a friend's surprise birthday party this past weekend, I wanted to make some cupcakes. The surprise party was bacon themed because he loves bacon - so I of course wanted to figure out a way to incorporate bacon into cucpakes. I decided upon a classic flavor combination - maple and bacon (adapted from this recipe).

Maple Cupcakes with Maple Frosting and Bacon Bits

(Yields 9 cupcakes)

Maple Cupcakes

Ingredients:
  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings, solidified
  • 1 egg
  • 7 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 6 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 4 strips of bacon

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with 9 cupcake papers
  2. Cook bacon however you like to cook your bacon (frying pan, microwave, etc.). Set aside cooked bacon and reserve 1 Tbsp. of bacon drippings. Place bacon drippings into the refrigerator for a few minutes to solidify
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside
  4. Mix butter and bacon drippings until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar, maple syrup and egg, beat until combined
  5. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk into the the wet ingredients (beginning and ending with flour mixture)
  6. Fill each cupcake 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until cupcakes are springy to the touch and a cake tester inserted into the cupcake comes out clean
  7. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool

Maple Frosting
(Yields enough for 9 cupcakes)

Ingredients:
  • 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1-2 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 + cups powdered sugar (enough to get the consistency you want)

Directions:

  1. Whip softened butter in a medium bowl with a hand mixer
  2. Mix in 1 Tbsp. of maple syrup and vanilla extract
  3. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until you have your desired consistency
  4. Add extra maple syrup as needed to get the maple flavor you want
  5. Fill piping bag with frosting (if you don't have a piping bag, fill a ziplock bag with frosting and snip the tip off the bag). Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with bacon bits
  6. Refrigerate extra cupcakes for up to 3 days

And here are the finished cupcakes!


Everyone at the birthday party really enjoyed the cupcakes, especially the maple frosting. You'll probably see me using this same maple frosting in October because I think it will pair wonderfully with pumpkin.


Enjoy and thanks for reading!
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