Let me guess, we had you at bacon? đ Happy Valentine’s day!
If what they say is true, that the way to a love’s heart is through their belly, maybe these will be a hit? They are a HUGE favourite among my friends, family and colleagues. I’ve made these maple bacon cupcakes a few times over the years, including a huge batch (over 300 maple bacon cupcakes) for a fund raiser.
Also, these cupcakes work great with gluten free flour, and can be made completely dairy free by using butter alternatives (this is actually how I bake them – making them gluten/wheat and dairy free).
Cupcake ingredients:
Makes 12
115g butter, softened or butter alternative
115g castor sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
115g self raising flour
Buttercream ingredients:
150g unsalted butter, softened or butter alternative
1 tsp vanilla
280g icing sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup (or more, depending on taste!)
Bacon topping ingredients:
A couple rashers of streaky bacon
Maple syrup
Preparation:
Drench the bacon in maple syrup and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F and put 12 papers into a cupcake/muffin tray.
Cupcakes:
Put the butter and castor sugar into a cake mixer bowl, beat together till the mixture is pale, light and fluffy, gradually beat in the eggs, then add vanilla.
Sift flour into the mixture and gently mix through until incorporated. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, filling them about half way.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cupcakes are risen and firm to the touch (15-20 minutes is what the recipe states, but in our oven they only take 12 minutes, so watch them carefully!). Leave in the tray for about 10 minutes then gently transfer to a cooling rack.
Bacon:
Whilst the cupcakes are cooling, either fry or put the bacon under the grill till cooked & caramelised, set aside to cool.
Buttercream:
Clean your cake mixer! You’ll need it to make the buttercream. Place butter, vanilla extract and maple syrup into the cake mixer bowl and beat until very soft and pale. Gradually sift in the icing sugar, beating well after each addition.
Tip: the more you beat at this stage, the lighter a fluffier the frosting will be (it’s true, I’ve tested it!). If you find the buttercream is still quite wet once you’ve added all of the icing sugar, slowly add a little more until it’s at your desired consistency.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes, chop bacon finely and garnish!
Interested in our recipes? Check out our posts here. We especially love this moist AF banana bread.
– TMC team
Recipes adapted from Love Foodâs âThe Cupcakeâ recipe book, âBasic Vanilla Cupcakesâ and âVanilla Buttercreamâ.
Jamieadstories
I had never considered bacon on top of a cupcake but I do love bacon and cupcakes. So why not?!
Christy Campbell
That salty and sweet combo is *chef kisses*!
Jenny
Okay wow! I love maple syrup and bacon pancakes but Iâd have never thought about doing them as cupcakes!
Christy Campbell
Honestly, they’re the best!