Maple Bacon Cupcakes (with a Touch of Whiskey)

2015-05-24

Maple Bacon Cupcakes (with a Touch of Whiskey)

These cupcakes hit every craving at once — sweet maple, salty bacon, a whisper of vanilla, and a generous swirl of whiskey-laced buttercream.
Perfect for brunch, birthdays, or making your friends say “wait… what?!”

🧁 Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 1½ cups plain flour
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 strips bacon, cooked & crumbled

🥃 Whiskey Buttercream

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1¾ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2–3 tsp whiskey (like Jameson or Bulleit)
  • Pinch of salt

🥓 Optional: Candied Bacon Topping

  • 2 strips bacon
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • Tiny pinch of chili powder (optional)

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

  1. Make the cupcakes

    • Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F.
    • In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
    • In a stand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and maple syrup until fluffy.
    • Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
    • Alternate adding flour mix and buttermilk.
    • Fold in cooked crumbled bacon.
    • Fill cupcake liners ¾ full. Bake 18–20 mins. Cool completely.

  2. Make the frosting

    • Beat butter until creamy.
    • Add powdered sugar, maple, whiskey, and salt. Beat until smooth and pipeable. Chill if too soft.

  3. Make candied bacon (optional)

    • Bake bacon strips at 200°C / 400°F for ~15 mins, flipping once and sprinkling with brown sugar + chili powder.
    • Cool and crumble.

  4. Assemble

    • Pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes.
    • Top with candied bacon crumbles and a tiny drizzle of maple syrup if you’re feeling fancy.

These are dangerous in the best way.
One bite and everyone’s like “what’s in this??”
(Answer: magic, butter, and whiskey.)

Looking for more fun cupcakes? Try Anzac Cupcakes with Salted Brown Sugar Buttercream.