Everything’s better with bacon, right?! These really proved that it is! There’s even bacon in the batter, and a piece of brown-sugar candied bacon on top. Yum! The cupcakes are from Bacon Today and the candied bacon is courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli.
Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 1/2 tablespoon bacon drippings (left in the fridge to become solid)
- 1 egg
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/4 cups self rising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- tiny tiny pinch kosher salt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup of minced bacon, cooked and drained
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the egg and beat until incorporated.
- Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder together.
- 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.
- 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
Ingredients
- 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).
Instructions
- 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.
- (add some crumbled BACON TOO!)
Candied Bacon Garnish
Ingredients
- 12 slices bacon, about 1/4-inch thick
- Finely ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- Equipment: 2 baking sheets, preferably the same size
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Put bacon slices in a bowl, season them with pepper and toss with the brown sugar. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or foil and arrange the bacon in a single layer on top. Sprinkle any sugar left in the bowl over the bacon. Top with another layer of parchment or foil and top it, squarely, with another baking sheet. The baking sheet will flatten the bacon as it cooks.
- Place the tray in the center of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Check the bacon by lifting the top tray and parchment. If it is not golden brown and fairly crispy, resist the temptation to turn up the oven temperature, and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Check it again. Keep in mind that when you remove the tray and transfer the bacon to a serving platter or individual plates, the bacon will “crisp” up a little more. Be patient!