Maple Buttermilk Pancake Cupcakes

By Kyle-2

"These cupcakes are fantastic, they are so soft, moist, light and have the most amazing maple flavor. I have been wanting to try some Maple Bacon Cupcakes for ages and I'm really please they have come out so well. I used my own Maple Buttercream recipe, for preference but have provided the frosting recipe that originally came with the cupcakes. There is no bacon in the actual cake, I just topped the cupcakes with shards of maple smoked bacon. I was also going to drizzle the cupcakes with maple syrup to finish but the maple flavour of the cupcakes and frosting was perfect so I didn't want to over do it. I am a huge fan of American pancakes soaked in maple syrup, with a side of bacon. That being said I still wasn't sure I would be that into the maple bacon cupcake. I have however been totally won over and think the bacon makes these cupcakes! The combination of salty and sweet, maple and bacon is perfect and I know I will be making these again very soon. You could of course leave the bacon off, the original recipe does and these cupcakes will still be amazing."

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 stick or 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
• Frosting:
• 1 cup of softened, unsalted butter
• 3 ounces of cream cheese, also softened
• 2/3 cup of dark-brown sugar (I use golden)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup of maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of confectioners sugar

Details

Servings 18
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 50mins
Adapted from theextraordinaryartofcake.com

Preparation

Step 1

For The Cupcakes:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ginger together. Set aside.

Then beat the butter and sugar on medium speed in a large bowl until they are fluffy. (Your butter must be soft!) Add in eggs, syrup and vanilla. Mix until blended.

Then mix in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Do about one-third of the flour and then one-third of the buttermilk, and so on.

Add the nuts if using.

Fill muffin or cupcake tins, either lined or buttered, according to your preference.

Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until your tester comes out clean. I use a steak knife.

Cool totally and then ice with Maple-Butter Frosting.

For The Frosting:

Beat the softened butter, cream cheese, brown sugar and salt in a medium-sized bowl until fluffy. Once again, it is critical that your ingredients be softened.

While you keep beating, add both the maple syrup and the vanilla.

Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and gradually increase the speed to high. Continue beating until the icing is fluffy.

Chill the maple-butter frosting for one hour before using.