These Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Maple bacon frosting recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. They can be a dessert, a breakfast treat, or a go-to snack – whatever you’re in the mood for!

They’re made with a super soft cupcake with a rich maple flavor, and on top, there’s this incredible tangy cream cheese maple bacon frosting. It’s an amazing combination! These cupcakes rank among one of my all-time favorites so far!

Ingredients you’ll need for these delicious cupcakes

The list of ingredients below is easily found in any grocery store.

• Cake flour. Cake flour is used in the cupcake batter to create a tender and delicate crumb texture. It results in a lighter cupcake that’s not too dense.
• Baking powder. Baking powder is a leavening agent that helps the cupcakes rise and become light and fluffy.
• Baking soda. Helps cupcakes rise and keeps them tender.
• Salt. Salt enhances the overall flavor of the cupcakes and balances the sweetness.
• Vegetable oil. Keeps the cupcakes moist and tender.
• Granulated sugar. It makes the cupcakes sweet and soft, giving them a light and fluffy texture.
• Brown sugar. This sugar adds a touch of caramel-like flavor, keeps the cupcakes moist, and adds a richer taste
• Vanilla extract. Enhances the overall flavor of the cupcakes
• Maple extract. It gives maple flavor to the cupcakes
• Buttermilk. Buttermilk contributes to the cupcakes’ moisture and tenderness while reacting with the leavening agents to help them rise.
• Cream cheese. Cream cheese is the base of our frosting. It provides a creamy and slightly tangy base for the frosting
• Unsalted butter. Butter adds richness and a smooth texture to the frosting, and it complements the cream cheese for a balanced flavor.
• Pure maple syrup. Maple syrup enhances the maple flavor in the frosting and the caramelized bacon garnish.
• Powdered sugar. Powdered sugar is used in the frosting to provide sweetness and achieve a spreadable consistency.
• Bacon. The bacon is caramelized with maple syrup to garnish the cupcakes and give the sweet and savory experience

Take a look at the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.

Add-ins and substitutions

1. Cake flour. If you don’t have cake flour, you can swap it with all-purpose flour. Just bear in mind that cake flour results in a lighter and tender cake texture, so using all-purpose flour may yield slightly denser cupcakes
2. Brown sugar. No brown sugar? No problem! Swap it with regular granulated sugar. The cupcakes will be a bit less caramel-y in taste, but still sweet.
3. Buttermilk. If you’re out of buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing whole milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar. Here’s a post on how to make your own Homemade buttermilk. It works perfectly in this recipe. 
4. Bacon slices. Instead of using whole bacon slices, use crispy bacon bits. And if you’re feeling bold, you can even add some of those bacon bits to the cupcake batter for an extra bacon kick.
5. Real maple syrup. If you’re running low on real maple syrup, you can easily switch it out for maple-flavored syrup. While it won’t have the exact same depth of flavor, it will still provide that maple essence that enhances the cupcakes.

How to make these Maple bacon cupcakes with maple bacon frosting

Maple Bacon cupcake recipe:

Start by pre-heating your oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Line your cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set aside.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer at high speed and with the paddle attachment, mix the sugars, oil, vanilla extract, and maple extract for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one by one, mixing after each addition.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, alternating. Start and finish with flour and mix until just incorporated. Do not over-mix!

Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake at 400 Fahrenheit for 5 minutes in your preheated oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 9-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove your cupcakes from the oven, let them cool for 3-5 minutes in the cupcake tin, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Maple glazed bacon:

Cut your bacon strips into three equally-sized pieces each, so you end up with a total of 12 smaller bacon strips. Lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush both sides with maple syrup.

Bake them for 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and fully cooked. Once they’re out of the oven, let them cool, and then give them another brush with maple syrup on both sides.

Maple cream cheese frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter, extracts, and salt until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes.

Add cream cheese and beat until just combined. With the mixer running on medium speed, gradually incorporate powdered sugar, and beat for an additional minute.

Place your creamy frosting in a piping bag, frost your cupcakes, garnish with one completely cooled glazed bacon strip, and drizzle with maple syrup.

Expert Tips

1. Room Temperature Ingredients: Start with ingredients like eggs, butter, and buttermilk at room temperature. This ensures they mix well.
2. Don’t Overmix: After adding the dry ingredients, avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing can make your cupcakes tough, so just mix until everything is combined.
3. Proper Filling: Fill your cupcake liners about 2/3 full for best results. This leaves room for the cupcakes to rise without overflowing.
4. Cool Before Frosting: Let your cupcakes cool completely before adding frosting. If they’re warm, the frosting can melt and slide off.
5. Avoid Overmixing Frosting: Just like with the cupcake batter, overmixing frosting can lead to a runny consistency. Mix your frosting until it’s smooth and creamy, but don’t go overboard. If it does become too runny, you can usually thicken it up by adding more powdered sugar in small amounts.
6. Double the recipe: This recipe makes 12 cupcakes. If you need more cupcakes, you can simply double the recipe for 24 cupcakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store any leftover cupcakes?

Store any leftover cupcakes refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. Store them in an airtight container that seals tightly.

Can my cupcakes be made ahead of time?

Yes, you can definitely make your cupcakes ahead of time. You can bake them up to 3 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container without frosting, and they’ll be good for up to two days at room temperature. Frost and add bacon before serving.

If you want to make them the night before and frost them, that works too. After frosting, store them in the refrigerator in a sealed container. About an hour before serving, take them out of the fridge to allow them to come to room temperature. Make the bacon strips and decorate.

How to freeze my frosted or unfrosted cupcakes?

You can freeze both frosted and unfrosted cupcakes. Here’s a step-by-step guide with how-to images on how to freeze your frosted and unfrosted cupcakes.

Bacon won’t freeze well, so make sure to add the bacon before serving.

How long to cool cupcakes before frosting?

Make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled before you start putting on any frosting. It usually takes about an hour for them to cool down on a wire rack. Piping frosting on cupcakes, while they’re still warm, is not a good idea because it can cause the frosting to melt or slide right off your cupcakes.

Can you put cupcakes in the fridge?

Yes! Cupcakes can be stored in the fridge. Just make sure you place them in an airtight container to keep them fresh. If they don’t have frosting, you can store them in the fridge for about a week without the bacon. For cupcakes with frosting, they should stay good for around 3 to 4 days when refrigerated.

Bacon should always be made the same day you’re planning to serve them.

How to store cupcakes overnight?

You can store your cupcakes, whether they have frosting or not, in the refrigerator overnight. Just make sure to put them in a tightly sealed container. About an hour before you plan to serve them, take the cupcakes out of the fridge, make the bacon, and serve. If they’re not already frosted, go ahead and frost them before serving.

Don’t miss out! Click this link to watch the video for these Maple Bacon Cupcakes up close.

Take a look at this link for more Fall recipes, or the links below for cupcake recipes you might like:

If you make this recipe, please be sure to give it a star rating and leave a comment below!