Maple Bacon Cupcakes

I think Homer Simpson said it best when he said, "mmmm....move over eggs. Bacon just got a new best friend....fudge." Bacon has got to be one of the most underutilized, under-appreciated amazing delicious ingredients in desserts. It may be going a little against the grain with the low fat, low carb, gluten-free, vegan craze our culture's experiencing but where would we be if we never stepped outside the norm every now and then.

Ingredients

CUPCAKES:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon imitation maple flavoring

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup cooked bacon chopped into bits

FROSTING:

3 tablespoons maple syrup

4 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cupcakes, beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine milk and 1/4 cup maple syrup. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition. Mix in bacon.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350° for 17-22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare the frosting, beat 3 tablespoons maple syrup and butter at medium speed of a mixer 1 minute. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating just until blended (do not overbeat). Spread the frosting over cupcakes.