Vanilla Cupcakes Part 2 (with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Bacon)

To the bacon lover, this cupcake is just another way to enjoy bacon.  To the non-bacon lover, this is an opportunity and/or a dare to be a little more adventurous!

The maple syrup and bacon combination is really nothing new.  However, having them both in a cupcake is not something you see everyday and can even be a repulsive idea to some. Come to think of it, this cupcake ticks all the boxes of good food - a medley of sweet, tangy, and salty, as well as a mix of different textures. Although I would not dream of eating this on a regular basis, for me, it was something I wanted to try even once.

To make these cupcakes, bake a batch of vanilla cupcakes using the recipe in the previous post or using your own favourite recipe.

To make candied bacon, you will need about 10-12 strips of streaky bacon.

1. Pre-heat your oven to 170 degrees C.  Line a baking tray with aluminium foil.
2. Place brown sugar on a plate.  Cover each bacon strip with brown sugar.

3.  Transfer bacon strips to your prepared baking tray.

4.  Bake for about 10-15 minutes on one side then flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes.  (The baking process might take longer depending on your oven and also on the thickness of your bacon.  What you want is for the bacon to be fairly crispy and golden brown.)

5.  Transfer bacon strips to a tray lined with baking paper and let cool completely.

6.  Chop bacon into small pieces.

To make the maple cream cheese frosting, follow the recipe here, substituting the vanilla extract with one tablespoon maple syrup.  Use to frost your vanilla cupcakes.

I used a large plain round  tip to pipe the frosting.

Top frosted cupcakes with a generous amount of candied bacon.

Now don't be scared to taste...just enjoy it!