Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes with Maple Cognac Buttercream and Sugared Bacon Crumbles

MMMM...

My kitchen was hoppin' last night as I made these cupcakes.  This morning, I mixed together the frosting just in time to take them to a little cookout.

I was inspired by a recipe for some Chocolate Coffee cupcakes on THIS site because of the buttercream flavor and the bacon...Yes, I DO love bacon.  I decided I'd give it a try...but make it my own by tweaking the recipe up a bit.

Here's my version of the recipe...adding a little bit more of this and switching a little of that, and adding something new.  I have to say that this cupcake recipe was so yummy! I'll definitely be making it again!

Cupcakes:
1 1/3 cup flour
1/4 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 t salt
4 T unsalted butter- softened
1 1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs (aged on the counter for the day)
3/4 t vanilla paste
4 T instant coffee (mixed in 1 T hot water)
1 cup milk (minus 4 T)

Candied Bacon Crumbles:
6 slices of cooked bacon
1/3 c dark brown sugar

Maple Cognac Buttercream:
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 1/2 t vanilla bean paste
1/4 c maple syrup
4 T Cognac

Here's how you put it all together!

Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes:  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift dry ingredients together then set aside.  Cream butter, sugar and vanilla paste in stand mixer then add eggs (one at a time) until combined.  Add milk and coffee and mix until smooth.  Add dry ingredients a little at a time until batter develops nicely.  Scoop batter (I use the middle pictured here: cookie scoop) into cupcake liners placed in a cupcake pan.  Use only one scoop and it will fill approximately 3/4 full.  Place into oven for 15-19 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from pans and set onto cooling rack to cool.

Sugared Bacon Sprinkles:  

Cook 6 slices of bacon (I used Maple Bacon) and blot off grease.  Cut into small pieces then combine 1/3 c brown sugar into a bowl.  Spread this mixture onto a Silpat mat and place into the oven (350 degrees F) for 10 minutes or until sugar starts to bubble.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Break crumbles into smaller pieces and set aside (I used a meat tenderizer to smash them to bits).  Don't eat too much or you won't have any left for the cupcakes!

Maple Cognac Buttercream Frosting:  

Cream 1 cup room temperature butter and powdered sugar in stand mixer.  Add 1 1/2 t vanilla paste, 3/4 c maple syrup (I use Mrs. Butterworth) and 4 T Cognac in stand mixer.  Mix until light and fluffy.

**Before I put the frosting on the cupcake, I squirted some maple syrup onto the tops of the cupcakes.  This syrup soaked into the cupcakes just a bit before the buttercream was added on top.

Place buttercream frosting into an icing bag and apply to tops of cupcakes.  I used a 105 tip, but I believe any tip or or a knife will do the trick.  Just don't use your finger.  It might be too hard to resist that lick!  Sprinkle some sugared bacon crumbles on top and...

Enjoy!!!