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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
- MAPLE-BUTTER 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' (icing) sugar
- Cooked bacon strips for garnish
Preparation
Step 1
CUPCAKES
Preheat your oven 350 degrees F.
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.
MAPLE-BUTTER 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.