Small batch maple bacon cupcakes

Bake up a favourite Canadian flavour combination!

The quickest way to my husband’s heart (and my kids’ too, come to think of it) is to serve up anything with maple and bacon. I came up with this small-batch recipe as a way to make a decadent dessert that wouldn’t have a lot of leftovers to torment me. You know, the way a half-eaten cake just winks at you every time you walk into the kitchen? These cupcakes are dense, moist and absolutely packed with flavour. If bacon’s not your thing, chopped walnuts would be fantastic on top as well. If you are big bacon fan, you could add some bacon bits into the batter as well, for an over-the-top Canadian treat.

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) softened butter
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 mL) vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) imitation maple flavouring
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) milk
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) maple syrup
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) plus 2 tablespoons (30 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) baking powder
• pinch salt

Icing:

• 5 teaspoons (25 mL) maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) soft butter
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) maple flavouring
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) powdered sugar
• 2 slices crispy cooked bacon, crumbled

Method

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pan with 6 medium or 5 large paper liners.
• To make the cupcakes, put sugar, butter, vanilla and maple extracts into a medium-sized bowl. Beat for 3 minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer, until fluffy.
• Add egg, milk and maple syrup then beat again until well blended.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture and beat until smooth (about 1 minute).
• Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely. Once cooled, put in an airtight container if not frosting immediately.
• To make the icing, beat 3 tablespoons maple syrup and next 4 ingredients (syrup through 1/8 teaspoon salt) at medium speed of a mixer 1 minute. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until the mixture is smooth. Store at room temperature until cupcakes have cooled.
• Spread the icing over the cupcakes and top with crumbled bacon. Store in a covered container for up to 48 hours before serving.

Makes 5 large or 6 medium-sized cupcakes.