Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

By ldelmas

yields 18 cupcakes

This recipe is prepared using the Prepology™ 18-Piece Cupcake Baking & Decorating Kit (K38932).

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 2 –1/8 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 –1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 –1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 –2/3 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp maple extract
• 1 –1/8 cups half-and-half
• 12 thick‒cut, maple‒cured bacon strips, chopped and cooked until fat is rendered and lightly browned
• Frosting:
• 24 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 stick (3-oz) margarine, softened
• 1 –1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1/4 tsp maple extract
• Garnish:
• 6 thick‒cut, maple‒cured bacon strips, cut into 3 pieces each and cooked until fat is rendered and crispy
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, chop 12 thick-cut, maple-cured bacon strips into pieces and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is lightly brown. While the bacon is cooking, line 2 12‒cup muffin pans with cupcake liners and set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment.
Add the eggs and the maple extract and mix until fully incorporated.
Add the flour mixture and the half & half, alternating, in 2 batches. Be sure to mix well after each addition.
Add in the chopped, cooked bacon and mix until evenly distributed.
Fill the paper-lined muffin pans 3/4 of the way full with batter. Bake the muffins for 20–23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let them cool before frosting.
Cream together the cream cheese and the margarine until smooth and free of any lumps. Next, mix in the maple extract. Add in the confectioners' sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Refrigerate the frosting until you’re ready to make/serve the cupcakes.

Meanwhile, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and then melt the chocolate chips in the top section of a double boiler. Dip each piece of the bacon into the chocolate, until half of the bacon is covered. Place the bacon onto the prepared cookie sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set.

Frost the cupcakes using an icing spatula or a piping bag fitted with a pastry tip. (I prefer the latter method because I make a mess with frosting! But don’t feel you need to have a “true” piping bag. I cut a very tiny sliver off the corner of a zip-top baggie and go!) After you frost each cupcake, place a piece of chocolate-covered bacon on top and serve.