Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Cake Mix

Course: cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 50

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 502kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

These maple bacon cupcakes are made with boxed cake mix and full of real maple syrup and savory bacon bits!

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-count cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
Mix the cake mix, cinnamon, water, maple syrup, vegetable oil, and eggs together in a large bowl.
13.25 ounces vanilla cake mix, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ cup water, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
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.

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.

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.

*While you can use table syrup, I really recommend getting pure maple syrup for the most authentic flavor. Dark or robust syrup works best.

**In place of the vegetable oil, you can use butter or the rendered fat from cooking the bacon!

Tips:

Buy good quality bacon for this recipe, as it is the star of this cupcake!
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.

Make-Ahead: You can cook and crumble bacon up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Storage: Store maple bacon cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.