It was 4 years ago and good friend of mine (like from second grade kind of friend) invite me and the fam over for the Superbowl. Only I’m not a football fan. I get it, I understand it all (dated the captain of the Varsity football team all through high school, so I kinda had to learn it) and I can follow it. Simply put, I don’t like it.
But one does not turn down an invite to hang out with close friends over a fun event and good food. And I do dig the commercials. And of course being the baking gal I am I was asked to bring something sweet and yummy. I obliged, naturally.
I made the best cupcakes ever. They were the perfect blend of “I really shouldn’t do this” and “Of course I have to do this” all at once. Everyone’s favorite meal paired with the easy to eat sized version of cake. Oh! And some meat. Yeah, meat.
I pulled together the most unnecessary and wonderful cupcake I had ever made - the Breakfast Cupcake.
Butter cake for the cupcake. Maple frosting for the, well, frosting. And candied bacon for garnish. And to complete the garnish and pull it all easily together as “breakfast” a cake batter waffle on top.
It was amazing. And I never made them again. Until the other day 🙂
The candied bacon is what had been dancing in my head for a while now and I had the inspiration to use maple sugar (yep, made from maple syrup) to caramelize the crispy bacon. I love strolling through the natural and organic section of the supermarket. I find tons of ingredients that make me think about how to incorporate them into what I already do. In fact, that’s how my Blueberry Almond Gourmet Fondant recipe was born.
I highly advise wandering aimlessly through the supermarket. You know, in all that spare time we each have.
I digress. Back to bacon. And extra maple flavor with maple sugar. And a torch. Flame isn’t required, but makes it easier and quicker. And you look super cool using it.
So the other day we had family in from out of town for my oldest kidlet’s birthday and being as busy as I am I announced to my hubby (in the snarkiest way possible) “If you thought I’d have time this week to make a crazy cake for a party we didn’t even plan for you are very wrong. You’ll need to manage this one yourself.”
Well, he didn’t.
So the morning our family was to arrive the hubby went out to get a load of our favorite bagels, and on his way home I called to ask for more half-n-half. The family loves tea and coffee. And I was out because I love tea and coffee, too.
He asked about cake. I told him to buy cupcakes at the store.
Yes. I just heard your gasp. I felt your heartbreak. I can sense you glaring at my words and trying not to accuse me of sacrilege… But keep reading. There’s redemption!
He was silent when I said this. So, with a big, guilt-filled sigh I said “Or I can whip something up here real quick… If I must and if you’d rather.”
“I’d rather you whip something up.”
He’s not ever been one to demand of me, let alone of my baking. But hubby likes to show off what his wife can do every chance he gets. He’s lucky he’s cute. (You should see his over stuffed wallet bursting with my business cards. I’m not sure who he gives them to.)
Ok then. Get me maple sugar (no, not syrup, let’s get that out of the way before he comes home with what I already have in my cabinet) and bacon. And more unsalted butter, please, because I was going to need to make a killer maple flavored American Buttercream. I had a little container of Amoretti Maple Compound that would be perfect for the recipe and not thin it at all like natural syrup would!
Long story short, it took me forever to make these cuppies because I was chatting with our guests the whole time, I was dancing around an unusual amount of people milling about my kitchen, I was doing Live broadcasts for my blogging group and shooting THIS blog post all the while.
They took forever.
And then THIS:
My, oh my. They were worth the wait. And I couldn’t very well recreate what I knew to be one of the best cuppies I’ve ever made without properly documenting them for you 🙂 So here you have it. Cuppies that I have decreed are suitable for breakfast. Or the Superbowl (read: commercials) or for family visits when you want to really impress your guests with your baking prowess.
Or when you just need to indulge in something that is not necessary for anyone to eat. But is oh so good!
Enjoy the recipe. And possibly just the candied bacon. I may have just made these for the candied bacon… Because it’s coated in maple sugar and torched. And who doesn’t look AWESOME with a torch?
Oh! I nearly forgot! The waffles were reserved cupcake batter that I poured into waffle iron and cooked just as I would regular waffles. Tear ’em apart and use them for a yummy and impressive garnish.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 12 Large Cupcakes and extra waffles | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 24 minutes |
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Perfect, buttery cupcakes for my Maple Bacon Waffle Breakfast cupcake recipe. This recipe is sized for large cupcake liners with just enough batter left over for making the cake waffles in your waffle iron.
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- 2.5 c Cake flour
- 2.5 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 each eggs room temp
- 1.5 c sugar
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp butter flavored extract
- 1 c Oil
- 1 c buttermilk room temp
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line cupcake pan with 12 LARGE paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds; Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds; Add vanilla, butter flavoring, and oil, beat.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly; add about half of the flour mixture; Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk; Beat until just combined; Scrape down the side of the bowl.
- The batter will be thin; Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper; Fill liners about ½ - 2/3 full.
- Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes.
- Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan; (carefully) and finish cooling on a wire rack.
- Frost as desired when fully cool.
Can be used for 2 8” cakes.
Best to use two cupcake tins, with alternating compartments lined with cupcake liners. This will ensure they don't smoosh against each other and that hey have adequate air flow between the individual cupcakes.
- 8 oz unsalted butter room temp
- 3.5 cups confectioners' sugar powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 Tbsp Maple Amoretti Compound
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream or till desired consistency
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream or till desired consistency
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Stop the mixer and add all confectioners’ sugar, vanilla bean paste and maple compound. Mix on medium speed until well combined and light. Scrape down the sides.
- With the mixer on low speed, add cream half at a time till desired consistency.
- Scrape down sides one more time and beat on medium speed for one minute until light in color and consistency.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 1 lb | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 15 minutes |
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This is the incredibly wonderful, salty sweet garnish for my Maple Bacon Waffle Breakfast Cupcakes. And while you don't need a torch to make this delicious treat, it sure makes you look cool in the kitchen �?�
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- 1 lb regular cut bacon use thick cut if you like it a bit chewier
- 1 cup maple sugar granulated
- Cut bacon slices in half width-wise and place side by side on a rimmed sheet tray.
- Place into cold oven; turn the oven on to 400˚F and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven and move the bacon pieces to a separate dish to drain.
- Once cool enough to handle, toss in maple sugar to evenly coat both sides of the slice of bacon.
- Place sugared bacon onto a silpat or stainless steel metal surface. Use a torch on medium-low setting to gently caramelize the sugar similar to creme brulee. Do not hold the torch to long in any one spot; keeping it moving across the sugar will prevent scorching and allow for an even caramel to form.
- Flip the piece of bacon once one side is caramelized and cooled and use the torch to caramelize the second side.
- It's best to make these immediately before you will serve them. Otherwise you can store the bacon in an airtight, dry container for 1 day.
If you don't have maple sugar, use light brown sugar in the same way. Just don't pack it onto the bacon or it will be difficult to caramelize.
If you don't have a chef's torch, you can place the bacon on a gridded metal rack and place back in a 400˚F oven until teh sugar has caramelized.
Enjoy! 🙂
I’m just here for the pictures!
Hey Love! 🙂 Stop torturing yourself…
I can’t wait to try these! Thank you Kara for all your tried and true marvelous recipes and art that you share with us!
Aw! You’re welcome, Amy! �?�
Can regular make syrup be used?
Hi Evelyn! If you omit all liquid from the frosting recipe, yes. But it will change the creaminess. If you can’t get the Maple Compound from Amoretti, I would go with a vanilla or cream cheese frosting and drizzle real maple syrp over the final piped cupcake. It would be fabulous!
Yummohhhhh! Scrumpdilliishious! Saw some of that maple sugar at our local fair last fall….just KNEW I shoulda bought it! LOL
This looks awesome! Wow Kara! Off topic…what brand of rolling pin would you recommend for fondant cake covering? I browsed your tools page but didn’t see one listed. Thanks Kara!
I LOVE my straight ended, long, wooden pin like this one: http://amzn.to/2mITbqA
I’ve had it for years and it’s beautiful. I’ll never use a handled pin again 🙂