Do you know what this is? Bourbon Syrup for Maple Bacon topped Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake with Bourbon Syrup.

Lets go!

Men really are just THAT simple. From my 24-year old, unmarried, un-children-ed perspective. They have 5 “Must Have” B’s: Bacon, Booze, Babes, Beards, and Baseball (or other sport). This recipe contains 2 of the 5 B’s, made by a 3rd B, but then again, I’m clearly bias. (The 3rd B was babe, that’d be me… crickets? really?). As for the Beard and Baseball, I mean- they’re not in this recipe, but you are more than welcome to get creative.

Let me introduce, The Manly Cupcake: A moist chocolate cake with fluffy peanut butter frosting and topped with sticky-sweet bourbon syrup and hard-candied maple bacon. I mean DAYUUMMMMM!!! Such bliss truly does exist!

I initially wanted to save this recipe for a mid-fall treat, but after I brought these into work and received rave reviews, I figured the sooner I post the better. The sooner you get baking and chomping on this salty sweet love cakes the better… I mean man cakes, because they’re manly. Because they have bacon. And bourbon. And because they’ll get peanut butter frosting in your hipster man beard.

DO YOU SEE THIS??? Take another look.

Bacon is everywhere. So much so that I read pretty soon our love of piggy piggy pork is going to drive the cost higher than a skyscraper. I foresee black market pork exchanges in America’s future, but until then, lets slap it on a burger, cuddle a hot dog in it’s sweet fatty blanket, and grease up a perfectly good chocolate peanut butter cupcake with a big ole salty slice of pork!

This blog entry is like a vegetarian’s worst nightmare.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake with Candid Bacon & Bourbon Syrup

Ingredients for the Chocolate Cake

1/2 Cup butter, room temperature
1 Cup white sugar
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Cup buttermilk
1 1/4 Cup all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Ingredients for the Maple Candied Bacon

4 slices of Bacon
2/3 Cup dark brown sugar
1/3 Cup pure maple syrup
1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg
dash cayenne pepper

Ingredients for the Bourbon Syrup

1 Cup Bourbon
1 1/2 Tablespoon buter
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

Ingredients for the Peanut Butter Frosting

1 Cup butter, room temperature
3/4 Cup peanut butter
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
5 Cups powdered sugar
6-8 Tablespoons whole milk

Directions

For the Chocolate Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Then, add in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Then add in vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, alternate adding in the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the sugar mixture and mix until well combined. Pour into a cupcake tin and bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 16 Cupcakes

For the Maple Candied Bacon: Wait until the cupcakes are done cooking before you proceed. Once the cupcakes are baked, preheat oven to 400 degreed Fahrenheit. Pour maple syrup in one bowl and in another bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Dip the bacon in the syrup so it is fully coated. Then rub the brown sugar mixture into the bacon until it is completely coated in the sugar. Do this for all 4 pieces of bacon. Then, bake for 20-25 minutes until it is dark brown in color. If it is undercooked, it will not candy and become a hard salty treat.

For the Bourbon Syrup: In a small pan, bring bourbon to a rolling boil. Turn to low and add in maple syrup, butter, and dark brown sugar. Then cook covered for 30-40 minutes until it thickens up and reduces to about 1/3 cup. Let cool before topping the cupcakes.

For the Peanut Butter Frosting: In an electric mixer, beat the butter and peanut butter. Then, add in the vanilla extract. Beat in the powdered sugar until it forms thick “beads.” Add more powdered sugar, if necessary. Then add in milk one tablespoon at a time until it reached your desired consistency. I like mine a little fluffier so I add add a little more milk and beat for a full 2 minutes.

 To assemble, frost your cupcakes, top with your delicious candy bacon, and drizzle that bourbon goodness all over the place!

Do you want something specific from your boyfriend/husband/male of any relationship? Bake these bad boys and I dare him to tell you no.

I really hope my boyfriend isn’t reading this.

Actually, no- he better be reading this!