Apple Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting-ironcupcake- Chicago Challenge Almost

I was going to bake for  ironcupcake-Chicago  September Challenge, and the theme was Apples and Back to School.  I wanted to go in a different direction with the apple and added bacon and maple syrup. I made a sample batch earlier in the week, so f I needed to tweak the recipe, I could when I made the final batch. Our dear friends were going to go as well as my husband, and then fate intervened.  I started having medical issues, and they are keeping me from going to Chicago.  I am really bummed, that's the way it is. So these cupcakes went to a birthday dinner for my friend, Joanna.  Since I didn't have to decorate the tops of the cupcakes in the Back to School theme,  I just sprinkled the crumbled, cooked bacon on top.

When I started blogging I  thought that you just posted your recipes, stories, and pictures and that was it.  I had no idea that you had to have very professional looking pictures. I feel like I need to take a photography class and get a new camera., which isn't going to happen.  Well maybe I could take a class, but a new camera isn't in my future. So you will see a date on the cupcake picture which shouldn't be there, and wasn't set for the correct date. I'm so jealous of other people's blogs that have amazing pictures. My pictures, unfortunately, are a work in progress. Now back to the cupcakes...

For the cupcakes I modified  Garret's Vanilla Garlic recipe for Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Frosting to Apple Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting with my notes below.  I added the apples, added more bacon, and used the cream cheese in the frosting to make it less sweet.  The apple adds a little sweet taste and the bacon gives the cupcake a salty surprise along with maple undertones. These are a winner in my book!

Apple Maple Bacon Cupcakes
Makes 6 / 350F oven

If you want more that 6 cupcakes, you'll have to adjust the recipe accordingly. I got nine cupcakes.
 
4 1/2 tablespoons of butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon of bacon drippings (left in the fridge to become solid)
1 egg
5 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/4 cup of self rising flour (I used AP flour plus 3 tsp. total baking powder)
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
tiny tiny pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup of milk
1/3 cup of minced bacon, cooked and drained- I changed bacon from 1/4 to1/3 cup)

3/4 cup peeled, cored, grated apples  I used Brae Burn
  

 1) Cook some bacon in a fry pan (about 8 thick strips). Reserve the drippings and place in the fridge to solidify. Mince 1/3 a cup of the bacon.

2) Beat the butter and solidified bacon fat 'till light and creamy. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and beat well until combined.

3) Add the egg and beat until incorporated.

4) Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and powder together.

5) Add some of the flour and mix, then some of the milk, then continue to alternate the dry and wet ingredients, ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the bacon and grated apple. Taste and add more maple syrup, flour, or milk if needed for desired taste and consistency. Keep in mind the maple frosting is very sweet, and to add in very small increments for alterations as maple syrup in large amounts can break a cake batter. That's why I added the cream cheese to the frosting recipe.

6) Fill cupcake liners  2/3 full and bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be sure to rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes for even baking.


Maple Syrup Cream Cheese Frosting..

2 tablespoons of butter, room temp

2 tablespoons of cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 cup of powdered sugar

Combine the syrup, cream cheese, and butter until combined. Add the sugar, a bit at a time, and whip at high speeds until combined and fluffy. Pipe or spread onto cupcakes. Sprinkle with crumbled, cooked bacon.