These Maple Bacon Cupcakes are an extraordinary treat that is sweet and salty at the same time. Soft maple cupcakes with a hint of bacon topped with maple buttercream frosting, crispy bacon bits, and a touch of maple syrup.
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Desserts with bacon started sweeping the food scene a few years ago. It was such a craze that people tried adding bacon to just about every sweet treat. Maple/bacon and chocolate/bacon seemed to be the most popular combinations. Although, maple and bacon flavors have been together for a long long time already and have always been quite popular.
So I can definitely see how maple/bacon desserts became so popular. It’s not just cupcakes that feature that flavor combination, I’ve seen it in donuts, muffins, waffles, pancakes, and cookies.
These unusual cupcakes feature soft and fluffy cakes infused with maple syrup and bacon flavors. On top, I drizzled a little more maple syrup and paired it with buttercream frosting. Of course, as a finishing touch, there are lots of crispy bacon bits and maple syrup on top.
How To Make Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. (I recommend parchment paper liners but you can use any you prefer.)
PRO TIP: Make sure your other ingredients are measured and ready before starting the batter!
Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder together and set aside.
Combine vegetable oil, bacon grease, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. (And maple extract if using.)
In a bowl of an electric mixer (use paddle attachment), beat egg whites for about 30 seconds and slowly start pouring in sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until white and fluffy.
Start pouring in oil mixture, slowly, as the eggs are still beating on medium-high. Lower the speed to low.
Alternating, add flour mixture and buttermilk in two parts. Mix until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and low mix a couple more seconds until incorporated.
Divide batter among the cupcake cups, filling them about ⅔ of the day. (I recommend using an ice cream scoop so all the cupcakes are even.) Tap the cupcake pan on the counter a couple of times to help air bubbles come up.
Bake for 18-20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Gently take the cupcakes out onto the wire rack to cool. Drizzle about a teaspoon of maple syrup on top of each cupcake while they are still warm.
Cool completely before frosting!
How To Make Maple Buttercream Frosting
Beat softened butter in the electric mixer, on medium-high speed, for about 2 minutes.
Lower the speed to low and carefully mix in powdered sugar, salt, and maple syrup. Once sugar is incorporated, scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and raise the speed to medium. Beat for another 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with the desired tip attached (I used 1M). Pipe cooled cupcakes. Crumble crispy bacon and divide it on top of frosted cupcakes and then drizzle with some maple syrup.
Tips For The Best Maple Bacon Cupcakes
- Measure and prepare all of your ingredients before starting to bake the cupcakes!
- Measure properly! Make sure you spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of dunking the cup directly into the bag! Then, cut the excess at the top with the back of a knife to level. If you dunk the cup, you’ll pack the flour into the cup and that could result in dense cupcakes.
- Use room temperature ingredients for cupcakes. Pull eggs and buttermilk for about 30-45 minutes before baking. Make sure to measure out the buttermilk first and then let it warm up. Pull the butter out of the refrigerator for about 30-45 minutes before making the frosting as well.
- Do drizzle maple syrup on cupcakes that are still warm so they absorb the syrup better.
- Do NOT try to frost warm cupcakes!
Make Ahead Suggestions
Bacon: Remember to save the bacon grease after cooking bacon! Store bacon and bacon grease in separate containers, in the refrigerator. Make sure both are covered and air-tight.
Cupcakes: you can also bake the cupcakes completely and once cooled to room temperature, cover them air-tight and store them in the refrigerator for a day or two. When ready, let the cupcakes warm up to room temperature while preparing the frosting. Frost and finish the cupcakes as directed in the recipe.
More Cupcake Recipes To Try
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Maple Bacon Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup bacon grease grease from cooking bacon in the oven
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk
- Optional: 1 tsp maple extract
Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups powder sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
Toppings:
- 1/4 cup maple syrup for topping cupcakes
- 6-8 crispy bacon strips
- 1/4 cup maple syrup for topping frosting
Instructions
Bacon:
- Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and fit in a wire rack. Spread bacon in 1 even layer on the greased wire rack and cook it in the oven at 400℉ for about 20-25 minutes, depending on thickness.
- Save the bacon grease!
Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. (I recommend parchment paper liners but you can use any your prefer.)
- Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder together and set aside.
- Combine vegetable oil, bacon grease, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. (And maple extract if using.)
- Make sure your other ingredients are ready.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer (use paddle attachment), beat egg whites for about 30 seconds and slowly start pouring in sugar. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until white and fluffy.
- Start pouring in oil mixture, slowly, as the eggs are still beating on medium-high.
- Lower the speed to low.
- Alternating, add flour mixture and buttermilk in two parts. Mix until just combined. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and low mix a couple more seconds until incorporated.
- Divide batter among the cupcake cups, filling them about ⅔ of the day. (I recommend using an ice cream scoop so all the cupcakes are even.) Tap the cupcake pan on the counter a couple of times to help air bubbles come up.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes. Take out of the oven and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Gently take the cupcakes out onto the wire rack to cool.
- Drizzle about a teaspoon of maple syrup on to of each cupcake while they are still warm.
- Cool completely before frosting!
Frosting:
- Beat softened butter in the electric mixer, on medium-high speed, for about 2 minutes.
- Lower speed to low and carefully mix in powder sugar, salt and maple syrup. Once sugar is incorporated, scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and raise speed to medium. Beat for another 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer frosting into a piping bag with desired tip attached (I used 1M). Pipe cooled cupcakes.
- Crumble crispy bacon and divide it on top of piped cupcakes.
- Drizzle each cupcake with some maple syrup.
Notes
- Measure properly! Make sure you spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of dunking the cup directly into the bag! Then, cut the excess at the top with the back of a knife to level. If you dunk the cup, you’ll pack the flour into the cup and that could result in dense cupcakes.
- Use room temperature ingredients for cupcakes and frosting. Pull eggs, buttermilk, and butter about 30-45 minutes before baking. Make sure to measure out the buttermilk first and then let it warm up.
- Storing: It’s always best to store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator! Store them in an air-tight container like a large food storage container with a lid or in the muffin pan if it came with a lid. Frosted cupcakes should be good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. You can let them warm up on the counter before serving.
- Can cook bacon ahead: you can easily cook bacon ahead of time, just make sure to save the bacon grease! Store bacon grease and bacon separately, in air-tight containers, in the refrigerator. Reheat the grease and bacon before using.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in March, 2015.
Kaylyn says
I do cupcake sales, usually for holidays and special occasions and today I did a Father’s Day sale. I decided to use this as one of my flavours and I am so glad I did! I think I’ve found my new favourite cupcake! I was so nervous about how these were going to turn out but oh my gosh!!! I did add the maple extract to the batter and I think that really helped, but I also added a splash of vanilla and maple extract to the buttercream and it was delicious!
I doubled the recipe and got 30 cupcakes!
LyubaB says
Nice, so glad they turned out well!