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Maple Buttercream Cupcakes With Bacon Sprinkles

by Nigella

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Introduction

As someone who has happily come up with a bacon brownie recipe, I was only too enthusiastic about the idea of bringing bacon to a maple-syrup cupcake.

I use very thinly sliced rindless streaky bacon to make crisp sprinkles. And as for the maple syrup, be advised that the cheaper Grade B (rather than the Grade A) is best here, though either will do nicely!

As with all baking recipes, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you start — this will make a big difference to the lightness of the cupcakes.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As someone who has happily come up with a bacon brownie recipe, I was only too enthusiastic about the idea of bringing bacon to a maple-syrup cupcake.

As with all baking recipes, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you start — this will make a big difference to the lightness of the cupcakes.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Maple Buttercream Cupcakes With Bacon Sprinkles — Photo by Nigella

Ingredients

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Metric Cups

For the Cupcakes

225 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 pinch of salt
100 grams very soft unsalted butter
100 grams soft light brown sugar
2 large eggs
75 millilitres plain yoghurt
75 millilitres maple syrup

For the Maple Buttercream

125 grams very soft butter
300 grams icing sugar
100 millilitres maple syrup

For the Bacon Sprinkles

6 rashers thin-cut streaky rindless bacon
1 teaspoon oil

For the Cupcakes

1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 pinch of salt
½ cup very soft unsalted butter
⅔ cup soft light brown sugar
2 large eggs
⅓ cup plain yogurt
⅓ cup maple syrup

For the Maple Buttercream

1 stick very soft butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
7 tablespoons maple syrup

For the Bacon Sprinkles

6 rashers thin-cut streaky rindless bacon
1 teaspoon oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC Fan/350ºF and line a 12-cup tin with paper cases.
Next fry the bacon rashers in 1 teaspoon of oil until crisp. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper and allow to cool. Once cool, crumble them to resemble sprinkles. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine together flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt.
Cream together the butter and sugar, using a freestanding mixer, handheld electric mixer or just a bowl and a wooden spoon. Then beat in one egg, followed by half the dry ingredients, mixing well before adding the second egg and the remaining dry ingredients. Again, mix well, and then add the yoghurt and maple syrup, beating and folding to give a smooth batter.
Divide the mixture among the cupcake cases and bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until a case tester comes out clean.
Turn the cupcakes out on to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
To make the buttercream icing blitz the icing sugar in a food processor to remove any lumps. Then add the butter, blitz again and then add the maple syrup down the funnel with the motor running, till you have a smooth buttercream. If you sieve the icing sugar, obviously all this can be done by hand, too.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, top with the buttercream, using the back of a spoon to make a spikey effect, and adorn with your bacon sprinkles.
Eat on the day they are made.

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC Fan/350ºF and line a 12-cup tin with paper cases.
Next fry the bacon rashers in 1 teaspoon of oil until crisp. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper and allow to cool. Once cool, crumble them to resemble sprinkles. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine together flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt.
Cream together the butter and sugar, using a freestanding mixer, handheld electric mixer or just a bowl and a wooden spoon. Then beat in one egg, followed by half the dry ingredients, mixing well before adding the second egg and the remaining dry ingredients. Again, mix well, and then add the yoghurt and maple syrup, beating and folding to give a smooth batter.
Divide the mixture among the cupcake cases and bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until a case tester comes out clean.
Turn the cupcakes out on to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
To make the buttercream icing blitz the confectioners' sugar in a food processor to remove any lumps. Then add the butter, blitz again and then add the maple syrup down the funnel with the motor running, till you have a smooth buttercream. If you sieve the confectioners' sugar, obviously all this can be done by hand, too.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, top with the buttercream, using the back of a spoon to make a spikey effect, and adorn with your bacon sprinkles.
Eat on the day they are made.

Additional Information

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The cupcakes (without sprinkles) will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Store the bacon sprinkles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and add to the cupcakes just before serving.

Tell us what you think

What 4 Others have said

Just made some for a cupcakes & cocktails party at work. I used bronze coloured crushed sugar pieces for the topping. Cooks treat to sample one and it was just delicious! Def going to make some more.

Posted by yasminki on 19th July 2023
Perfect recipe for Canada Day eh!

Posted by Kathy305 on 1st July 2019
These went down an absolute storm with my workmates. They are absolutely delicious!!!

Posted by mygrassisblue2011 on 16th May 2015
I've made these cupcakes and they are very good. In fact I'm going to make some again this week. Thanks for reminding me of them.

Posted by Monikewie on 11th March 2015