Candied Maple Bacon Cupcakes

by

Bacon for desert? I have to admit, I wasn’t an early convert of the sweet and salty trend, but my husband has always been a big believer that everything is better with bacon. And over time, I have learned to appreciate the breakfast turned dessert treat. 

If you are a bacon fan, you need these cupcakes in your life. Like right now.

Candied Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Now you could go all fancy making your own cupcakes from scratch. But sometimes it is just as good to take a little shortcut and use the boxed stuff. Since the standout flavor with these cupcakes is in the maple and bacon, you’ll do just fine to start with a box of cake mix. 

Cupcakes

  • 1 box vanilla or yellow cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • Butter or oil according to box
  • 1 cup water
  • 1⁄4 cup maple syrup
  • 1⁄4 cup crumbled bacon

Candied Bacon

  • 1⁄2 lb turkey bacon
  • 1⁄2 cup brown sugar

Frosting

  • 16 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1⁄4 cup maple syrup

Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Step One – Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark or nonstick cupcake pans). Line cupcake pan with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Step Two – In a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, oil/butter, water and maple syrup. Beat on low for 30-45 seconds. Then, turn to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Fold in bacon pieces.

Step Three – Divide batter mixture between 20-24 cupcake cups. Bake according to package directions. Let cool.

Step Four – Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place a wire cooling rack coated with nonstick cooking spray on top of the foil. Lay bacon on cooling rack. Spoon brown sugar on top of bacon pieces. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool.

Homemade Candied Bacon
Step Five – In a mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on high until smooth. Add in powdered sugar in 2 Tbsp increments, letting each prior amount fully incorporate before adding more. Add maple syrup in 1 Tbsp at a time until icing reaches desired consistency.

Step Six – Pipe icing on top of cooled cupcakes. Top with candied bacon pieces.

Bacon anyone?

Bacon Cupcakes

Print

Candied Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Servings 24

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 box vanilla or yellow cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • Butter or oil according to box
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 ⁄4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 ⁄4 cup crumbled bacon

Candied Bacon

  • 1 ⁄2 lb turkey bacon
  • 1 ⁄2 cup brown sugar

Frosting

  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 stick of butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 ⁄4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for dark or nonstick cupcake pans). Line cupcake pan with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, oil/butter, water and maple syrup. Beat on low for 30-45 seconds. Then, turn to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Fold in bacon pieces.
  3. Divide batter mixture between 20-24 cupcake cups. Bake according to package directions. Let cool.
  4. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place a wire cooling rack coated with nonstick cooking spray on top of the foil. Lay bacon on cooling rack. Spoon brown sugar on top of bacon pieces. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool.
  5. In a mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on high until smooth. Add in powdered sugar in 2 Tbsp increments, letting each prior amount fully incorporate before adding more. Add maple syrup in 1 Tbsp at a time until icing reaches desired consistency.
  6. Pipe icing on top of cooled cupcakes. Top with candied bacon pieces.

 

2 thoughts on “Candied Maple Bacon Cupcakes”

    • Hi – Good question. Yes, you can absolutely use regular bacon to candy. I used turkey only because that’s what I typically buy. You could certainly leave the bacon out of the cupcake if you want, but it is a fun surprise. The icing needs to be refrigerated because it is a cream cheese icing, so kept everything in the fridge.

      Reply

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating