Cupcakes with Maple Frosting and Candied Bacon
These maple frosting bacon cupcakes are the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Think pancakes and bacon but in dessert form--but better! A brown butter and maple cupcake is topped with a rich, maple caramel frosting. And the over-the-top garnish? sticky, candied bacon. It really is the perfect dessert.
Print
Pin
Servings: 16 cupcakes
Equipment
- muffin pans
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- electric mixer (either a hand mixer or stand mixer)
- small skillet
- large bowl
- medium bowl
- ice cream scoop
- small saucepan
- cooling rack
Ingredients
For the maple cupcakes:
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup Duke's mayonnaise
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon maple extract
- Maple and Brown Sugar Candied Bacon
For the maple frosting:
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 16 wells in muffin tins with paper liners.
- Start the maple cupcakes: Cook the butter in a small skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter melts and the milk solids begin to brown and smell nutty. Set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the browned butter, mayonnaise, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. (You can either use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Add the flour alternately with the milk in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract and maple extract.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake for 19 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the maple frosting: Bring the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool completely.
- Beat the cooled butter mixture and the powdered sugar with an electric mixer until combined. Add the milk and maple extract and continue to beat until the frosting is creamy.
- Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Cut the candied bacon strips in half crosswise, and garnish each cupcake.