These Maple Bacon Cupcakes are full of rich maple flavor and the savory taste of bacon bits. If you’ve ever had a maple bacon donut, it’s like that but in cupcake form!
What’s in Maple Cupcakes?
These cupcakes are both savory and sweet with real maple syrup and bacon infused right into the batter and frosting. You’ll also taste notes of cinnamon and vanilla too!
- Whole Milk: Helps keep the cupcakes moist and soft. I like to use whole milk in my cupcake recipes, but you can use whatever you have on hand!
- Vegetable Oil: Adds richness to the cupcakes and helps prevent them from drying out. In place of the vegetable oil, you can use butter or the rendered fat from cooking the bacon!
- Maple Syrup: Sweetens the cupcakes and frosting and gives them the classic maple flavor.
- Eggs: Bind the cake batter together so it doesn’t become too crumbly.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the maple syrup.
- Brown Sugar: Adds extra sweetness to the cupcakes and helps the bacon caramelize. For a richer flavor, you can use dark brown sugar in place of light brown sugar.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cupcakes structure and ensures that they aren’t too dense. For more tender cupcakes, use cake flour instead of all-purpose.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cupcakes rise so they stay light and fluffy.
- Cinnamon: Pairs perfectly with maple and bacon and gives a bit of warmth and spice.
- Bacon: Adding bacon bits to the cupcakes enhances the bacon flavor! For the garnish, I’m using a medium thickness raw bacon. Make sure to keep an eye on it in the oven as the time may vary depending on how thick your bacon is sliced.
- Unsalted Butter: The base of our frosting– make sure it’s fully softened so you don’t end up with lumps in your buttercream.
- Powdered Sugar: Gives the frosting structure so it isn’t too soft–it also sweetens the frosting!
Pro Tip: While you can use table syrup, I really recommend getting pure maple syrup for the most authentic flavor.
Variations on Bacon Cupcakes
If you’re short on time, you can use boxed vanilla cake mix to make the cupcakes. Just don’t forget to fold in the bacon! You can also omit the cinnamon, or try a different spice, such as ginger or nutmeg.
If you’re not a fan of bacon, you can leave it out! These cupcakes will still be delish!
The vegetable oil helps to make these cupcakes tender, while the leavening makes them ultra-fluffy!
Yes! The cupcakes can be baked up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to frost. The buttercream can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can cook the bacon up to 2 days ahead!
If your cupcakes are a bit flat, that’s most likely because you didn’t add enough baking powder. Also, be sure to check the expiration date on your baking powder! If it’s expired, it just won’t do the trick.
Dry cupcakes can be caused by 2 things. You may have measured the ingredients incorrectly, or you might have overmixed the batter. It’s important to scoop and level your ingredients if you’re not using a scale, and it’s important to have a light hand when mixing the batter. This will ensure moist cupcakes every time!
If your buttercream frosting is too thin, chill it for 10-20 minutes, then whip again. If it is still too thin, add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
If your buttercream is too thick, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
If your buttercream looks curdled, it is likely too cold. Place the buttercream in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water until the edges begin to melt, then whip again until it comes together.
Yes! Because these cupcakes contain cooked bacon, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.
How to Store
Store leftover maple bacon cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Enjoy cold or let come to room temperature.
How to Freeze
I recommend freezing the cupcakes and frosting separately for the best results. The cupcakes can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. The frosting can be frozen in a Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving. You may wish to rewhip the frosting in the bowl of a stand mixer before using.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cupcakes topped with a drizzle of real maple syrup to really set them off! For a mid-day pick-me-up, enjoy one with a java chip frappuccino.
Maple Bacon Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- ½ cup whole milk 114 grams
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 50 grams
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup 78 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ½ cup brown sugar 107 grams
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 180 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup finely crumbled cooked bacon
For the Candied Bacon
- 12 strips raw bacon about 2 inches long each
- ¼ cup brown sugar 53 grams
For the Maple Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup 59 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 2¼ cups powdered sugar 254 grams
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the milk, vegetable oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla together.½ cup whole milk, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the brown sugar and whisk again.½ cup brown sugar
- Add the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix just until no large lumps of flour remain.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add the crumbled bacon and mix to combine.½ cup finely crumbled cooked bacon
- Divide the cake batter between the wells of the cupcake tin, making sure to fill each one about ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the pan and allow them to cool on a wire rack before frosting.
For the Candied Bacon
- Place the bacon on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.12 strips raw bacon
- Lightly press 1 teaspoon of brown sugar into the top of each piece of bacon.¼ cup brown sugar
- Bake in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon is golden brown.
- Remove the bacon from the oven and place it sugar side up on a paper towel to drain any excess grease from the bottom.
- Set aside until ready to use.
For the Maple Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.½ cup unsalted butter
- Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix to combine.3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar.2¼ cups powdered sugar
- Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, turn the mixer to medium speed and beat until the frosting becomes light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. If the frosting is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes and garnish each with a piece of candied bacon.
Notes
- While you can use table syrup, I really recommend getting pure maple syrup for the most authentic flavor.
- Feel free to omit the cinnamon, or try a different spice, such as ginger or nutmeg.
- Buy good quality bacon for this recipe, as it is the star of this cupcake!
- In a pinch, you can use boxed cake mix to make these cupcakes. I recommend vanilla or yellow cake mix, and don’t forget to fold in the bacon!
- Take care not to overmix the cupcake batter, as this can lead to tough, dense cupcakes.
- When cooking the bacon strips, make sure to keep an eye on it in the oven as the time may vary depending on how thick your bacon is sliced.
- The bacon strips and crumbled bacon can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Make sure the butter for the frosting is room temperature; otherwise, it may end up lumpy.
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