The Baker Chick

Baking up a delicious life.

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

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Maple Bacon Cupcakes- The Baker Chick

If you’re still deciding about getting on the bacon-in-desserts band wagon, now’s the time. I have to admit I wasn’t always so keen on the idea, but after two attempts at merging the salty, smoky, crispiness with sweet baked goods, I’m pretty sold. I made bacon-chocolate chip cookies with maple glaze last year and was a huge fan of  the mix of flavors. I mean haven’t you ever had a pancake, syrup, bacon bite on your brunch plate?

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These cupcakes, a recipe from Lindsay’s new cookbook Breakfast For Dinner, were really wonderful. And if you’re on the fence about whether or not you are at all interested in this not so traditional flavor-pairing, this may be a good place to start. The bacon is candied in brown sugar in cocoa powder and broken into crisp little bits. The cupcake is full of brown sugar and maple syrup, and a chocolate maple buttercream sits on top. The candied bacon adds that little something special without being over-powering or “meaty.”

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The cookbook, which is full of gorgeous photos and tons of recipes I’d love to try,  comes out in a couple weeks, but in the meantime I’m giving away a copy here! (Giveaway closed 2/5.)

 

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Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
 
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
  • 1½ cups all- purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
For the buttercream
  • ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup cocoa powder, sifted
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ⅛ teaspoon maple extract (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream, more or less as needed
  • Topping- Candied Bacon (recipe below)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners
  2. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
  3. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in maple syrup and vanilla extract.
  4. Mix in dry ingredients, a little at a time, until incorporated. Beat in buttermilk on low speed until just incorporated.
  5. Fill cupcake liners with a scant ¼ cup of batter (cups should be just under ⅔ full) Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick insterted in the center comes out clean. Transfer pan to a cooling rack; when pan is cool enough to handles, place cupcakes on rack to cool completely.
For buttercream:
  1. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes or until fluffy. Add cocoa powder an beat until smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, until mixture is smooth. Beat in maple syrup and maple extract (if using). Add cream as needed and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. 2-3 minutes.
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Candied Bacon
 
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 4 strips bacon
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil, set an oven proof wire, baking rack on top of the foil and grease with cooking spray.
  2. In a shallow dish, whisk together brown sugar and cocoa powder until evenly mixed. Press bacon into sugar mixture to coat, shaking off excess.
  3. Arrange bacon on prepared rack, leaving plenty of space between slices. Bake for 3-40 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes, until bacon is browned and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Recipe from: Breakfast for Dinner, by Lindsay Landis and Taylor Hackbarth

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Comments

  1. My first experience with bacon was in Athens, GA at a doughnut shop. The doughnut was called “the elvis” it was a regular doughnut with maple syrup glaze and bits of banana and bacon on top. It was their best seller and you practically had to get there super early to be able to get one. Bacon and sweets almost taste like when you are having a big breakfast of pancakes and bacon and eggs and the maple syrup mixes into your bacon and eggs. Yummy!!!

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  3. i’m actually a vegetarian!! wah so no bacon for me but i’ll make these without bacon! :) that cookbook look fantastic..growing up we never had breakfast for dinner because my dad is from argentina and i guess they don’t do that haha but I want to do it because breakfast is my favorite meal!!!

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  4. Love bacon, but just a hint of it in a dessert is plenty for me. But photo looks gorgeous as does the cookbook.

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  6. I love Bacon so anything with bacon can only be better! The Maple Bacon Cupcakes are going to be perfect for Sunday brunch – right before the Super Bowl!

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  7. I’ll be honest, I’ve never mixed bacon with anything sweet and I’m a bit wary…. but then again I believe everything should be tried before a real opinion can be formulated!! Kitchen, here I come!

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  8. I look forward to trying these out! I haven’t tried anything sweet with bacon but since I’m Canadian, I love anything with maple syrup (and I love bacon!) Thanks for sharing!

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  10. I love the idea of bacon in desserts, I made bacon chocolate chip cookies not too long ago and they were TO DIE FOR. Dying to try these cupcakes. Look delicious. I think my favourite way to have bacon would be in a dessert.

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  11. This sounds yummy. Over the years I’ve gotten a little “braver” and gone out of the box. There was a time when I did not like any sweet with my savory or savory with my sweet – but I’m really starting to like the combination with certain flavors, and BACON is a good one to incorporate. I’d love the book, it would force me more outside my comfort zone.

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  12. I love bacon. And I LOVE dessert. But I still haven’t worked up the nerve to actually try them together! It’s definitely on my “To Do” list…

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  13. Breakfast for Dinner is a great name for the book! That is just what bacon for dessert is! We’ve never had bacon with cocoa though! Excited to try this recipe! Who doesn’t love pancakes and maple syrup with sweet maple syrup? YUMMY! Thanks for the chance at a great cookbook that isn’t available yet! Have an awesome day! :)

    Reply

  14. I wrap our Thanksgiving turkey in bacon and baste with maple syrup. The bacon comes off candied in it and has a great sweet/salty flavor. I’ve never gone as far as doing something like that in a dessert but can see how it would work.

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  15. Where was this recipe in November?! My teenager loves bacon and asked for bacon on his cake,lol. Birthday wish granted! I need to try this though, it looks delish.

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  18. I think Bacon should be included in everything. My first experience with bacon in something sweet was at Comet Cafe. I ordered the bacon pancakes and I thought I had died and gone to heaven :) I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!

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  20. my only experience baking with bacon was last year during Super Bowl time. I decided to make brownies that had bacon in them. they were not that great to be honest and they were supposed to be more Savery but they didn’t turn out that way I’ve never used bacon in baking since then.

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  24. I can see I will have to try these for the next Church potluck. Audra, you make me look really good here in South Carolina!

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  27. I’m a huge fan of sweet and salty together and (since anything with bacon is delicious) I think bacon in desserts is a perfect combination!

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  28. I am now craving bacon, love it. I’ve honestly never had bacon in/on a dessert. My husband had a maple French toast cupcake that had bacon and he really enjoyed it.
    Sweetinsahmnity at gmail

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  30. Oh my! These look so good. I haven’t tried the bacon dessert combo just yet, but have heard wonderful things. And lets be honest, bacon makes everything taste better!! I actually had a smoke bacon bloody mary the other day for brunch (not dessert but still just as delicious). I think bacon in dessert would be just tasty. What a great giveaway and thanks for doing one!

    Christy

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  31. I actually don’t really looooooove bacon like so many out there seem to, but in desserts, it is surprisingly yummy! One of the best bacon dessert recipes I have tried is a bacon blueberry breakfast cake from howsweeteats.com. ALARMINGLY DELICIOUS

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  32. Remember awhile back when bacon really seemed to be making a comeback? There were a few chain restaraunts that really jumped on the bandwagon and were offering special dishes featuring bacon. Well..one of those dishes happened to be an ice cream sundae with…BACON! Bacon and ice cream? You bet ! Now every so often my kids and I get a craving for that sundae..so we recreated it at home. A generous scoop of our favorite vanilla ice cream topped with crispy bacon and a hearty drizzle of maple syrup! Divine! I have been wanting to try the chocolate chip cookie with bacon….and now another recipe to try.. I have just been inspired :) The cookbook looks gorgeous!

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  33. I think bacon in desserts are really popular right now and for good reason…there is something so yummy about the sweet and salty savory mix of bacon and chocolate or a rich buttercream that is just so tasty ! I love the idea of putting bacon in pancake batters and waffle mix and also as a garnish or topping on cupcakes..

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  35. I LOVE your blog! Just started following you late 2012, and all the recipes I’ve tried have been absolutely delicious! The Snickerdoodle Brownies are now my kids’ favorites — I send them in a foil-lined shoebox to them at college. Regarding bacon and sweets, I’m all for it! Your picture of the cupcakes has inspired me to make them for the Super Bowl. The ladies will like the chocolate and the guys will go for the bacon. Yum! If you ever come across it, chocolate covered bacon is to die for. . .

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  36. I love bacon, like fresh from the farm, cured bacon. However, I’m very much over bacon as a trend in desserts. Like what’s wrong with just bacon? Why does it need to be added to almost EVERYTHING? It’s starting, for me at least, to lose any sort of special quality and I’ve become almost a strict sausage as my breakfast meat kind of girl.

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  45. I think Bacon in moderation in deserts can be a clever addition, but I think it has become overused by some cooks.

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  46. I honestly think its a fabulous idea! I just think about the salty – sweet aspect and that wins me over in a heartbeat!

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  48. I have yet to try bacon in desserts, but my brother’s birthday is coming up in March, and I think that will be the perfect opportunity to try it!

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  50. I love bacon with anything! That includes dessert! Can’t wait to try this recipe and I’m going to need to search out the Bacon Chocolate Chip cookies!

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  54. I’ve seen some amazing looking donuts with bacon involved. They look fantastic! I haven’t taken the plunge yet but I’m willing!

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  59. I think bacon with certain desserts would be yummy, I’d have to try it though! Bacon and maple sounds delish….. Thanks for this giveaway, I’d love to have this cookbook!

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  60. Maple and bacon are the best combination! It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty and each one makes the other one better. I first tried it in a cupcake from a shop, but I’m definitely going to try to make these, especially with the addition of the chocolate buttercream!

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  62. Bacon? in DESSERT? yes please, I’ll need 3 servings thank you very much! The savory and the sweet go so well its a match made in the kitchen :D

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  64. I’ve made some wonderful maple muffins but sadly without bacon. I have never tried bacon with any sweets, but I think it sounds very intriguing! Also, since I don’t normally comment, I would like to say that I really enjoy your blog, thanks for sharing your sweets, and your life, with all of us!

    Reply

  67. i am finally coming around to the whole bacon in dessert thing and this recipe may have done me in for good. these look and sound incredible! (and who can argue when you remind us of the deliciousness created when bacon gets dipped in syrup at brunch?)

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  72. Bring on the bacon! Love it, whether it is part of the main meal or dessert. These cupcakes look delicious and who can resist that combo of maple and bacon? The last maple bacon thing I had was a maple bar topped with a strip of bacon. Thanks for offering the giveaway.

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  73. I’ve…actually never had bacon in desserts and probably never will now, but I do love all things sweet and salty! One of my coworkers is VERY skeptical of the bacon-in-desserts idea so I might have to make these for her to convince her otherwise!

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  74. Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever had bacon in my desserts either. Maybe because I don’t go gaga for the salty-sweet combo.

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  76. I am not a fan of bacon in general, so I’m not really keen on having bacon in my desserts. But I still would love to try this recipe! That buttercream frosting looks to die for :)

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  77. I like the sweet and salty combo in deserts and bacon can add a little something on top of that. The smoky and crunchy flavor is a bonus to the sweet salty combo. I made some bacon brownies once and it was delicious.

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  79. I’ll eat bacon in sweets – heck, I even had a bacon cocktail once – but I would rather have it own and taste its delicious saltiness solo. Maple syrup on the other hand… that belongs in everything.

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  80. ok, I have to admit it… I am a vegetarian :) So not much of an opinion to give here, unfortunately :P However, I am seriously thinking about baking them for my boyfriend as he loves nothing in the world more then meat and sweets (ok and beer, but would that fit here?) :o Now can you imagine his reaction if I would combine these two? haha, I can’t wait :D
    Take care and thanks for providing this lovely blog! I am seriously addicted :D
    Rebecca

    Reply

  81. I was a vegetarian for two and a half years. I was doing manual labor building hiking trails and working in national parks when I decided I needed to bring meat back into my life. Ever since then, I have had a newfound appreciation for bacon. I’m also a HUGE fan of salty/sweet combos. One night after a little too much wine, my mom and I made a batch of brownies and decided to sprinkle them with sea salt. Ever since then, I can’t eat a brownie that isn’t salted! So give me a cupcake, brownie, scone, whatever, with a piece of crisp salty bacon on top and call me happy!

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  82. My best friend loves bacon. She has turned me on to adding it to some dishes I would not normally think of. I really like the idea of salty and sweet that I think the bacon with the chocolate cupcake would be wonderful. I can’t wait to try this. Prob make it for my best friend’s birthday in the next week.

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  83. I’m still on the fence. I think I could embrace it better if it was hidden in the recipe! I have gotten over baking with sour cream though, so who knows, the sky is the limit I suppose!!

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  85. I think – with the right flavor combination – that bacon is delish in desserts! it is, after all, the candy of the meat world! FUN giveaway – thanks!

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  86. I really like the idea of adding bacon , but I haven’t been able to use it, because I try to cook, bake and eat healthy so I haven’t been able bring myself to use it yet… that said, I bought a slab of bacon this week, so it looks like it will be in my baking future – especailly with a yummy recipe like this!

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  87. I made bacon peanut butter chocolate chip cookies about a year ago and my man has not stopped talking / asking for them since. I have yet to make them again due to the fact that he ate the entire batch in 1 day, which I’m sure was like 10,000 million calories.
    I’m more of a chocolate covered bacon girl. Just give it to me straight up! No need to hide it in a cookie, man.

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  88. Not sure I like bacon in my desserts. I hate some chocolate covered bacon and I definitely thought I’d rather have eggs with bacon and eat chocolate afterwards. The chocolate was too salty and the bacon too sweet. bleh

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  89. I just had a chance to try a croissant with Nutella and bacon…… So good!!!!!!! I can’t wait to try other sweet bacon treats.

    Reply

  90. This is perfect for a valentine’s treat for my husband who is a real bacon aficionado! Thanks for all the inspirational recipes.

    Reply

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