Maple Bacon Spice Cupcakes

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Move over maple bacon donuts, these maple bacon spice cupcakes are out of this world delicious with rich maple buttercream, soft spice cake cupcake, and topped with a piece of candied bacon. These are also a fun addition to your Thanksgiving recipes!

You all know I’m all about simple yet elegant eats, and I assure you that these maple bacon spice cupcakes still fit that bill. We’re going to take a shortcut in this recipe with the cake part of the cupcake, so all of your energy can be focused on the most important part – the icing!! Because if you’re like me, you want more icing and less cake.

I’m sure I’m breaking some kind of baker’s golden rule, but sometimes you just need a shortcut. For this recipe, we’re going to use a box mix for the spice cake part of the cupcake. It will cut down on your cooking time and help you ease your way into baking if baking intimidates you. If you’re a seasoned pro and have a favorite spice cake recipe, feel free to use your homemade recipe!

I made these maple bacon spice cupcakes for my Friendsgiving celebration this year. However, they can be enjoyed any time of year.  They’d be perfect for an office potluck, Friendsgiving, or even Thanksgiving if you’re in charge of dessert.

Ingredients needed

Cupcake:

• 1 box of spice cake mix

Maple Buttercream Icing

• 1 cup unsalted butter – softened
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Candied Bacon

• 1 pound bacon
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

How to make maple bacon spice cupcakes

1. Prepare the candied bacon first. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with foil, then place a cooling rack on top of the lined baking sheet.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup and brown sugar and heat over low, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
4. Line the bacon across the cooling rack, then brush each slice with the maple brown sugar sauce. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, flip the bacon, brush again with the maple brown sugar sauce and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
5. Adjust oven temperature according to the spice cake mix package directions. Then, mix the spice cake mix according to package directions.
6. Line 2 12-count cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
7. Fill each liner with the spice cake batter about 3/4 of the way full.
8. Bake according to package directions. Remove from oven and let cool.
9. While the cupcakes are baking, begin making the maple buttercream.
10. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the maple buttercream ingredients; beat on medium until smooth.
11. Frost cupcakes using a piping bag and Wilton 2D tip, or simply frost with a butterknife, whichever you prefer.

Recipe FAQs

Can I cook the candied bacon in an air fryer?

Yes, you could easily cook the candied bacon in the air fryer. Follow the same cooking instructions for preparing the bacon and cooking temperature, but, decrease the cook time to 10 minutes per side.

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Enjoy these other maple-flavored recipes!

• Maple Aioli – pairs perfectly with sweet potatoes
• Chicken Wings with Maple Syrup – sweet + savory chicken wings
• Thanksgiving Maple Herb Turkey – with a delicious maple herb rub
• Maple Mustard Roasted Carrots – a simple yet elegant side dish
• Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Aioli – an easy snack or side dish

Grab a copy of Gather – A Thanksgiving Cookbook to create a memorable holiday meal!

Maple Bacon Spice Cupcakes

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