These maple bacon cupcakes have a maple cupcake that tastes like a fluffy pancake. They are topped with maple frosting and candied bacon. They bring breakfast and dessert together in an amazing combination.

Top view of a maple bacon cupcake with a bite missing.

These maple bacon cupcakes are the perfect dessert for any bacon lover. They are moist cupcakes with a delicious flavor that doesn’t overpower the flavor of the bacon slices on top. They are the best way to impress your breakfast fans on special occasions.

Close up of a bite missing from maple bacon cupcakes.

Tips for making cupcakes

Here are my tips, so yours turns out like this recipe!

  • Tip 1: Flour- Make sure to spoon and level the flour. If you stick the measuring cup into a bag of flour, it will compact it. Compacted flour will cause a dry cupcake.
  • Tip 2: Make sure your cupcakes are fully cooled before decorating them. Hot cupcakes can melt the frosting and make decorating difficult.
  • Tip 3: The bacon can be adjusted to your personal preference of crispiness. Do make sure to decorate with small enough pieces that your cupcakes are not difficult to bite into!

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Maple cake batter in a glass bowl.
The extra maple syrup causes the batter to be a bit lighter in texture.
Maple batter in a cupcake pan.
Fill the cupcake pan about 2/3rds full.
Baked cupcakes on a wire rack.
After baking, they will have flat tops.
Maple cream cheese frosting in a glass bowl.
The maple frosting has extra salt to help balance the sweetness.
Decorated cupcakes on a wood board.

For more cupcake recipes, try my Oreo Cupcakes and Cinnamon Peach Cupcakes.

Cupcakes on a wood baord.

Make sure to leave a star review if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.

Top view of a maple bacon cupcake with a bite missing.
5 from 13 reviews

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Stephanie Rutherford
These maple bacon cupcakes have a maple cupcake that tastes like a fluffy pancake. They are topped with maple frosting and candied bacon.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 41 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 41 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
 
 

Maple Cupcakes

  • 1 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp Baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
  • 1 TBSP Oil, canola or vegetable
  • 1/4 cup Real maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp Maple extract
  • 2 Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup Sour cream, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Buttermilk

Candied Bacon

  • 1/2 lb Thick cut bacon
  • 1/2 cup Brown sugar
  • 1/8 cup Maple syrup

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 1/2 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 TBSP Maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp Maple extract
  • 1/4 tsp Salt

Instructions
 

Maple Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
  • In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    1 3/4 cup All-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1/4 tsp Baking soda, 1/2 tsp Salt
  • In a separate bowl using a mixer, beat the butter, oil and sugar together on high speed. Beat for 2 minutes.
    1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 3/4 cup White granulated sugar, 1 TBSP Oil
  • Add in vanilla, maple extract, maple syrup, and sour cream. Mix until combined. Add in the eggs. Mix on medium until smooth.
    1/4 cup Real maple syrup, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp Maple extract, 2 Large eggs, 1/4 cup Sour cream
  • Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and the rest of the buttermilk. Finish with the rest of the dry ingredients.
    1/2 cup Buttermilk
  • Use a cookie scoop to scoop the batter into the muffin tin. Fill it 2/3rds full.
  • Bake for 15-17 minutes. The cupcakes are done baking when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cupcakes sit in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before decorating.

Candied Bacon

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with foil (this makes a mess!). Top the cookie sheet with a cooling rack.
  • Place the bacon on the cooling rack. Drizzle the maple syrup and sprinkle the brown sugar on top. It only needs to be on one side of the bacon.
    1/2 lb Thick cut bacon, 1/2 cup Brown sugar, 1/8 cup Maple syrup
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until slightly crispy. All the brown sugar will melt with the bacon fat and it will brown on the bottom of the cookie sheet.
  • Once the bacon is cooled. Cut the bacon into smaller pieces to top the cupcakes.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar.
    3 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
  • Using a mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed for 2 minutes. It will be fluffy and creamy.
    4 oz Cream cheese, 3/4 cup Unsalted butter
  • Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Mix on low. Add in syrup, maple extract, and salt. Mix on high speed until combined and the frosting is creamy and smooth.
    2 TBSP Maple syrup, 1/2 tsp Maple extract, 1/4 tsp Salt
  • Frost the cupcakes and top with the bacon.

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cupcakes
High altitude baking- Add an extra 1 TBSP of flour.
Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Calories: 476kcal, Carbohydrates: 78g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 377mg, Potassium: 123mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 771IU, Vitamin C: 0.05mg, Calcium: 70mg, Iron: 1mg
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