Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

From the Cupcake Archives...

Yep, after the Fojo Cupcake, many of you dared me to try it. So I took the dare. Bacon. In a cupcake. I got a lot of help developing the recipe from Shuna, the dessert chef extraordinaire of Eggbeater. She gave me a few quick lessons in balancing maple syrup in baked goods, and how to use muscovado and turbinado sugars. Shout out to Shuna, for sure.

After reading a bit about bacon baklava, bacon candy, and bacon ice cream, I knew a bacon cupcake was do-able, but still I was hesitant and approached this with some trepidation. It's an outside-of-the-box cupcake, a breakfast cupcake, a cupcake for those who eat with no fear.

The brown sugar and maple syrup make the cupcakes sweet while the minced bacon salts it. The maple frosting is then sprinkled with turbinado sugar and sea salt. The cake is light, salty, sweet, and just... well, different. In a good way. If you're a fan of salty sweet combos, then you'll like this cupcakes as it shows off bacon's true versatility as not just a tasty breakfast bit, but a true key ingredient in sweet things.

Bacon wrapped around dates, grilled then smothered in honey is a popular flavor in this apartment come summer. Rob has dipped his in his brown sugar laden oatmeal. Bacon is a curious and engaging ingredient that's eager to preform for you, and prove it's worth as more than a side to your scrambled eggs. I think if you like to dip your bacon in the pool of maple syrup around your waffles, or like those McGriddle things at fast food places, you'll like this cupcake.

This cupcake is controversial with the people who tried it, either they loved it more than their mama or didn't care for it. Differences in taste is to be expected, so what can you do? The ingredients are few and common so give it a try, and decide for yourself.

Try to get locally produced bacon to support your local farmers. The bacon will probably taste better than the stuff from the supermarket, and is usually easy to procure at farmer's markets or specialty markets. This is a recipe where quality bacon is key.

This cupcake of course is inspired by Beatis, the Goddess of Bacon. She wore leather. Blew stuff up. Spoke in Middle English. Turned people into bacon. Lots of fond memories. It's a big giant inside joke from back in high school, so I expect no one to understand. And special thanks to Janelle for the awesome picture!

Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Makes 6 / 350F oven

What You'll Need...
4 1/2 tablespoons of butter, room temperature
1/2 tablespoon of bacon drippings (left in the fridge to become solid)
1 egg
5 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/4 cup of self rising flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
tiny tiny pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of minced bacon, cooked and drained

What You'll Do...
1) Cook some bacon in a fry pan (about 6 thick strips). Reserve the drippings and place in the fridge to solidify. Mince 1/4 a cup of the bacon. The chef should eat whatever is left to assure that the bacon is tasty.

2) Beat the crud out of the butter and solidified bacon fat 'till light and creamy. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and beat well until combined.

3) Add the egg and beat until incorporated.

4) Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder together.

5) Add some of the flour and mix, then some of the milk, then continue to alternate the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the bacon. Taste and add more maple syrup, flour, or milk if needed for desired taste. Keep in mind the maple frosting is very sweet, and to add in very small increments for alterations as maple syrup in large amounts can break a cake batter.

6) Scoop into cupcake papers and bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes for even baking.

Maple Syrup Frosting
What You'll Need...
4 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 cup of powdered sugar
turbinado sugar (optional, but recommended)
coarse grain sea salt (optional, but recommended)

What You'll Do...
Combine the syrup and butter until combined. Add the sugar, a bit at a time, and whip at high speeds until combined. Pipe or spread onto cupcakes. Sprinkle on sea salt and turbinado sugar for decoration and a lot of added flavor.