Maple Bacon Cupcakes

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5 from 72 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes

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Maple Bacon Cupcakes are the perfect combination for the Fall and Winter months. There is just something so warm and comforting about this combination of flavors.

several cupcakes with bacon.

These Maple Bacon Cupcakes have it all. Sweet maple and salty bacon pair together to make a sinfully good cupcake that is perfect for dessert or dare I say it, breakfast.


MORE FALL DESSERT RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Pumpkin Spice Donuts | Cinnamon Cupcakes | Caramel Apple Dump Cake


What We Love About This Cupcakes with Bacon Recipe

This maple cupcake is ideal for people who love sweets, but not too sweet. It has a nice dessert quality with a little bit of edge from the candied bacon pieces. This delightful combination can now be found in everything from maple bacon donuts to scones. Find out more combinations here.

  • 40 Minutes: From start to finish, because of course you start with a box cake mix. This makes life so much easier, so you don’t need to wait to make it just for special occasions.
  • Easy Ingredients: Make moist cupcakes with ingredients found in pantry or refrigerator staples.
  • Family Friendly: A bacon lover will rejoice with this tender cake recipe with rich maple flavor in the cupcakes and Maple frosting.
  • Adaptable: Can make this amazing combination low-carb, meat free, dairy free, etc. to your personal tastes.
ingredients needed to make cupcakes with bacon.

Ingredient Notes for Cupcake Recipes

  • Bacon: One package of lean cut bacon slices, try flavored for even more tasty goodness. Real bacon and not bacon bits are needed to make the bacon roses.
  • Butter: A dairy free substitute can also be good in the recipe, or use unsalted butter if you prefer
  • Brown Sugar: A low calorie substitute such as Splenda can also be great in this recipe
  • Cake Mix: One Box Yellow Cake Mix and the oil and eggs, etc. you need to make them. All your dry ingredients are in here
  • Real Maple Syrup: You can use a low sugar or sugar free syrup, but pure maple syrup is best. It adds true maple flavoring for the maple buttercream frosting
  • Powdered Sugar: Again, you can use a sugar alternative here for the icing sugar
  • Chocolate: Melted chocolate to decorate
a closeup of bacon in cupcakes.

Equipment Needed for Maple Bacon Cupcake Recipe

How to Make Maple Bacon Cupcakes

These are the basic steps for making maple bacon cupcake. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions, nutrition information and cook time.

a collage of 4 images showing how to make the bacon rose for the maple cupcakes.

STEP 1: PREP AND MAKE CANDIED BACON ROSES

Begin by preheating the oven and prepare cupcake tin with paper liners. Then make the bacon roses by brushing one side of every bacon slice with butter, sprinkle on brown sugar, roll it up and place the bacon bloom side up in a muffin tin. Put in the preheated oven and bake until the bacon is crispy. Drain off excess grease by setting on a paper towel.

a collage of 4 images showing how to make the maple cupcakes.

STEP 2: BAKE CUPCAKES

Meanwhile, make the cupcakes per the package directions on the back of the box of cake mix, and mix in the additional ingredient of maple syrup. Pour the batter into a lined muffin tin, about 3/4 full. Next, bake the cupcakes and then allow to cool on a wire rack.

a collage of 4 images showing how to frost the bacon maple cupcakes.

STEP 3: FROSTING

Then to make the frosting, cream butter and 1/3 cup of the powdered sugar at a time. Add in the maple syrup. Once the cupcakes are cooled, add the frosting and then put the bacon rose right on top. Finally, drizzle with the chocolate.

Prep and Storage Tips for Bacon Desserts

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME

Prepare the cupcakes in advance and store in an airtight container for up to three days in advance. However, do not ice them or make the bacon roses until the day you wish to serve them.

HOW TO STORE THIS MAPLE CUPCAKE RECIPE

The cupcakes can be wrapped in foil or plastic wrap or other airtight container and placed in the fridge for a day or two.

HOW TO FREEZE THIS RECIPE

While the undecorated cupcakes can be frozen, I do not recommend freezing the finished cupcakes as they will not hold up well.

Frequently Asked Questions for Breakfast Cupcake

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE HEALTHIER?

You can use low calorie sweeteners and syrup to make the cupcakes. Products such as Splenda or Swerve work well.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE DIFFERENT FLAVORS OF CAKE MIX?

Of course, try a box spice cake mix or a white box cake mix for this recipe.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED OR HALVED?

Indeed, it is easy to adjust the recipe card below to make the amount that you need. Remember that any leftover cupcakes can be frozen for later use.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE GLUTEN-FREE?

Yes, simply use a gluten free box cake mix and follow the directions for making them.

Maple Bacon Cupcakes on a silver platter.

Expert Tips for Making This Recipe

  • Add Extract: Vanilla extract, maple extract or bacon extract, make for a more flavorful cupcake.
  • More Bacon Bits: Crumble cooked bacon strips in small pieces and add to the cupcake batter.
  • Variation tip: Nuts add a great addition to the cupcakes, add pecans or walnuts.
  • Alternate ingredient: Try flavored bacon, such as bourbon, maple or brown sugar varieties.
  • Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg or even ginger can enhance the flavor of these cupcakes.
  • Dietary consideration tip: Low calorie box cake mix, sugar substitute and dairy substitutes can all be great in this recipe. Even vegan bacon can be used.

What to Serve with Maple Bacon Cupcakes

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5 from 72 votes

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Maple Bacon Cupcakes are the perfect combination for the Fall and Winter months. There is just something so warm and comforting about this combination of flavors.
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Ingredients

  • Bacon Rose Ingredients:
  • 12 slices lean cut bacon
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • Cupcake Ingredients:
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Frosting Ingredients:
  • 1 cup butter , softened
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • cup maple syrup
  • melted chocolate

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • To make the roses out of bacon, brush one side of every bacon slice with butter, sprinkle on brown sugar, roll it up and place the bacon bloom side up in a muffin tin. Put in the oven and bake until the bacon is crispy. Drain off excess grease by setting on a paper towel.
  • To make the cupcakes, prepare according to the box directions for cupcakes and mix in 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
  • Pour the batter into a lined muffin tin, about 3/4 full.
  • Put into the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes. Remove and let the cupcakes cool.
  • To make the frosting, cream together the butter and 1/3 cup of the powdered sugar at a time. Add in the maple syrup.
  • Once the cupcakes are cooled, add the frosting and then put the bacon rose right on top.
  • You can drizzle the tops with melted chocolate as well.

Expert Tips

  • Add Extract: Vanilla extract, maple extract or bacon extract, make for a more flavorful cupcake.
  • More Bacon Bits: Crumble cooked bacon strips in small pieces and add to the cupcake batter.
  • Variation tip: Nuts add a great addition to the cupcakes, add pecans or walnuts.
  • Alternate ingredient: Try flavored bacon, such as bourbon, maple or brown sugar varieties.
  • Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg or even ginger can enhance the flavor of these cupcakes.
  • Dietary consideration tip: Low calorie box cake mix, sugar substitute and dairy substitutes can all be great in this recipe. Even vegan bacon can be used.

Estimated Nutritional Information

Serving: 1g | Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 621mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 568IU | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American

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5 thoughts on “Maple Bacon Cupcakes”

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing bacon maple cupcakes recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

    Reply

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