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Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting and Candied Bacon

These fluffy and moist cupcakes are flavored with real maple syrup, topped with the silkiest brown butter cream cheese frosting, and are decorated with pieces of maple candied bacon. Was there ever a more enticing dessert?
Course Dessert
Cuisine Dessert
Keyword Fall Desserts
Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 43 minutes
Servings 18 cupcakes
Calories 588kcal
Author Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Candied Bacon

  • 12 slices bacon
  • 3 tbsp real maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • sprinkle of black pepper

For the Maple Cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup full fat sour cream, at room temp
  • 3/4 cup real maple syrup, at room temperature
  • 1 and 3/4 cups cake flour, spooned + leveled 192 grams
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the Brown Butter Frosting

  • 1 and 1/2 cups salted butter, softened at room temperature 339 grams
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp real maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Prep: Brown your butter ahead of time so that it has time to chill in the fridge. In a nonstick pot or pan over medium heat, melt the butter (3 sticks or 1 and 1/2 cups). Turn the heat to medium-low and continue cooking the butter - stirring constantly. The butter will get foamy, then turn golden, then start to turn brown and develop a nutty/caramely sort of aroma. Once it reaches a deep golden color, remove from the heat and pour into a container. Let it chill in the fridge so that it can come back to the consistency of room temperature softened butter.
    Make-Ahead Tip: The brown butter can be made up to a week ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Make the Candied Bacon: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay your bacon slices down on it. Pour the maple syrup over them, and sprinkle on the brown sugar and pepper. With clean hands, rub this around (coating just the side facing up) so it's evenly coating the bacon. Bake for 16-20 minutes, until crisp and candied. Lightly spray a clean plate or pan with nonstick spray (this will stick to a paper towel, parchment paper, etc.) and transfer the candied bacon to it to cool.
    Make-Ahead Tip: The candied bacon can be made a day or two ahead and broken into pieces, and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Make the Maple Cupcakes: Reduce oven temperature to 350° F. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on high speed until creamed, about 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Add 2 of the egg whites and mix on medium high for 45 seconds, then repeat with the last one. Add the vanilla and sour cream, mixing on medium low speed until just combined. Add the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until a few streaks of flour remain. Pour in the maple syrup at that point, and keep mixing on low speed until it's just incorporated. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold in any remaining flour or maple syrup, taking care not to over mix.
  • Bake: Line a cupcake tin with papers, and fill each about 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 14-18 minutes. The tops will be set when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean, or with moist crumbs - not wet batter. Let cupcakes cool in the pan a few minutes, then let cool completely on a cooling rack. Never frost warm cupcakes - the frosting will completely melt.
  • Make the Brown Butter Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
    Cream the browned butter and cream cheese together in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Ad the powdered sugar, 2 cups at a time, mixing between each addition. Add the maple syrup, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt, and mix until just combined. Frost your cupcakes with a butter knife, offset spatula, or piping bag and tip. See blog post for notes about the piping tip I used.
    Note: If your butter has been in the fridge long enough that it's completely re-solidified, you'll need to let it sit out to come to room temp, just like with regular sticks of butter. You can also speed this up gently in the microwave - pop the solid brown butter out of your tupperware and into a large mixing bowl. Microwave 6-8 seconds on each side, just until softened.
    Note: I went fairly heavy with the frosting because I wanted big swirls on each cupcake. If you like less frosting, you can cut the quantity down to 50-75% of the original amount.
  • Serve + Store: Break the cooled candied bacon into smaller pieces or crush into bacon bits , and top each cupcake with a few pieces. Enjoy immediately! Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Let sit out at room temp for a bit before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 440mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 65g | Vitamin A: 633IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 0.4mg