The perfect, seasonal treat. And with maple-bacon icing, need we say more?

Pumpkin cupcakes with maple-bacon icing

12 servings
Prep 40 minutes
Total 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
2 eggs
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup butter, melted, then cooled
1 tsp vanilla

Icing:
1/2 250-gram package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sifted icing sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tbsp maple syrup
5 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped, divided

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with oil or line with cupcake liners.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs with brown sugar, pumpkin, butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until evenly mixed. Mixture will be thick. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake in centre of preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into centre of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Beat cream cheese with icing sugar, butter and maple syrup until evenly mixed and smooth. Stir in 2/3 of the chopped bacon. Refrigerate icing until firm, about 30 minutes. Spread or pipe icing over cooled cupcakes. Garnish with remaining bacon.

Per serving: calories 368, protein 5 g, carbohydrates 50 g, fat 17 g, fibre 1 g, sodium 268 mg

Courtesy Claire Tansey
www.chatelaine.com
@chatelaine