Recipe: Bacon, Maple, and Bourbon Cupcakes

Adding bacon to desserts has been very trendy for the last few years. Even BK rolled out a Bacon Sundae this past summer. I finally decided to jump on the bandwagon and make Bacon, Maple, and Bourbon Cupcakes.

Now granted, this isn’t a real creative use of bacon in a dessert. It’s basically a pancake in cupcake form.

And just like a pancake, its best eaten warm. If you have leftovers, warm them in the microwave before eating. Eaten room temperature, they taste like blah cupcakes. There’s something about maple syrup that does so much better at warm temperatures. The heat awakens its flavor and intensifies it’s sweetness.

The little bits of bacon on top are a salty contrast to the maple glaze and in my opinion qualify this cupcake as a breakfast option. So it’s a cupcake that can be eaten as snack, dessert, or breakfast. That’s what I call food multi-tasking.

More Bacon Dessert Recipes

Bacon Pecan Pie

Banana and Bacon Cookies

Bacon, Maple, and Bourbon Cupcakes

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 cups self-rising flour
• Maple Glaze (recipe follows)
• 4 strips bacon, cooked and coarsely crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
3. Add eggs one at a time.
4. Combine milk, bourbon, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
5. With mixer turned to low-speed, add flour in thirds alternating with milk mixture. Divide batter among muffin cups.
6. Bake approximately 18 to 20 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan 5 minutes and remove to wire rack to cool completely.
7. Spread Maple Glaze over tops and sprinkle with bacon.

Maple Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 4 to 6 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. In a medium bowl combine sugar, lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons maple syrup. Whisk until smooth. Continue adding maple syrup until desired consistency.

Recipe Source: Taste of the South September/October 2012

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