Maple Walnut Cream Cheese Cupcakes with Candied Bacon

Maple Walnut Cupcakes

From Country Living

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 stick or
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped

Preparation:

Preheat your oven 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ginger together. Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed in a large bowl until they are fluffy.

Add in eggs, syrup and vanilla. Mix until blended.

Then mix in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Do about one-third of the flour and then one-third of the buttermilk, and so on. Add the nuts if using.

Fill muffin or cupcake tins, either lined or buttered, according to your preference. Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until your tester comes out clean.

Cool totally and then ice with Maple-Butter Frosting.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup of softened, unsalted butter
• 3 ounces of cream cheese, also softened
• 2/3 cup of dark-brown sugar (I use golden)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup of maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of confectioners’ (icing) sugar

Directions:

Candied Bacon

Adapted from Bon Appetit 

Ingredients:

• 4 bacon slices
• 2 tablespoons maple sugar, divided

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place rack in center of foil. Lay bacon slices on rack. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon maple sugar evenly over bacon. Bake until sugar is melted, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over same side of bacon. Bake until bacon is deep brown and glazed, 12 to 14 minutes longer. Remove from oven.

Preheat broiler. Broil bacon until sugar on top bubbles thickly, watching closely to prevent burning, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool bacon completely on rack. Cut into 1/4-inch dice.