Hazelnut Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Hazelnut Buttercream & Bourbon Caramel

Today is a very special day, it is my very good friend's birthday! With this being unlike any other day and this being possibly the last time I get to make cupcakes for this very special lady, I couldn't make just any old cupcake--it had to be outrageous! 

Looking back at the recipes I've collected over the past few months, I found the perfect one. Bakingdom's Hazelnut Cupcakes jumped out over the rest. What is better than bacon? Why bacon on a cupcake! Wait no, a cupcake infused with bacon and hazelnut liquor and topped with a hazelnut liquor maple buttercream and topped with candied bacon! Whew that was a lot of words.

I started with Bakingdom's idea of a Hazelnut Bacon Cupcake and revisited the Hazelnut Crème Brûlée Cupcake recipe modified slightly with the addition of candied bacon bits. And because my friend is not a huge fan of Amaretto, I substituted Hazelnut Liqueur in the buttercream. The bourbon caramel is absolutely divine, modified slightly with the addition of vanilla bean paste. Hazelnut Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Hazelnut Buttercream & Bourbon Caramel take a little bit of work to pull together, but it is definitely worth the effort!

Hazelnut Bacon Cupcakes

adapted from Hazelnut Crème Brûlée Cupcakes

preheat oven to 350 degrees

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup caster sugar

4 eggs

16 oz all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp hazelnut liqueur

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts

candied bacon bits

1. Spread the hazelnuts on the baking sheet evenly in one layer. Bake for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the hazelnuts don't burn. The nuts are ready when they are golden in color and fragrant.
2. Remove the pan from the oven and let the nuts cool slightly.
3. While the nuts are still warm, pour them onto a clean, dry dish towel. Gather the ends of the towel around the nuts and rub the nuts together until most of the skins come off. (optional)
4. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Cream butter and sugar with mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
6. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions.
7. Add vanilla and liqueur.
8. Using a wooden spoon, mix in flour and milk alternating between starting and ending with milk.
9. Fold in hazelnuts and bacon.

Fill liners to 3/4 full. Bake for about 17 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Makes 24 cupcakes.

Candied Bacon

adapted from Bakingdom's Candied Bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

8 slices of bacon
3 to 6 tbsp dark brown sugar

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place wire cooling racks on the sheets.
2. Lay the bacon out on the cooling racks and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
3. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the bacon slices over, and bake for another 10 minutes.

Maple Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting
adapted from Bakingdom's Maple Amaretto Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla bean paste
6 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup 100% maple syrup
1 tbsp hazelnut liqueur
1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
salt to taste

1. Cream butter. Beat in 2 cups of sugar until combined. 
2. Stir in the vanilla and syrup. 
3. Beat in the remaining sugar. 
4. Add the heavy cream and liqueur.
5. Whisk on high until desired consistency is reached.

Bourbon Caramel Sauce
adapted from Bakingdom's Bourbon Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
3 tbsp bourbon

1. Place the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan, stirring to combine. 
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, swirling the ingredients in the pan occasionally. Continue boiling until the mixture reaches an amber color. 
3. Remove from heat and very carefully add the cream in a slow steady stream, stir constantly.
4. Once combined, add the butter and salt, and continue stirring until both are completely melted and combined. 
5. Stir in the bourbon & vanilla until combined. 
6. Return the caramel to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 1 minute. 
7. Cool to room temperature before using.

Hazelnut Bacon Cupcakes with Maple Hazelnut Buttercream & Bourbon Caramel are interesting-in a good way-I swear! The candied bacon give the cupcakes a texture and salty sweet taste to balance the overly sweet frosting. As I mention previously, the bourbon caramel sauce is to die for-so very yummy!