Maple-Bacon Cupcakes

By taniaf

with candied bacon and maple sugar

Ingredients

• candied bacon:
• 1 lb bacon
• 25 tsp maple sugar or brown sugar
• cupcakes:
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 stick butter, room temp
• 1 tbsp bacon fat
• 1 cup maple syrup (grade B)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

Make the candied bacon:
preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay bacon slices on a rack on a baking sheet so they don't touch. Sprinkle with at least 1 tsp maple sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until edges start to crisp. Flip slices over, sprinkle with 1 tsp each maple sugar. Bake for 5-10 more minutes, until bacon is crisp and dark. Pour off drippings, put in fridge to solidify. Let cook on rack, then chop 7 slices. Reserve 3 slices for topping.
Make cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Beat butter and bacon fat until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, beat more. Add maple syrup, beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well in between. Add vanilla. Add flour and milk in 2 parts, mixing well after each. Toss chopped bacon in 1 tbsp flour, then fold into batter.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Once cooled, top with maple frosting and a small candied bacon piece.