Sweet, Savory, & Rich - These Beer & Bacon Cupcakes Hit the Spot

Just as we did for Chocolate Cupcake Day, we have selected a tasty beer dessert recipe for Vanilla Cupcake Day. We thought there'd be no better pairing than beer, bacon, and cake. We'll see if you agree with us after baking up a batch of these cupcakes. Though we chose to try this recipe with an IPA, you can use whichever beer you feel goes well with the taste of bacon. A porter would likely be a delicious choice too! Just as we always tell you with beer brewing, so shall we tell you with baking - be patient! Be sure your ingredients are room temperature, that your cupcakes have cooled properly before frosting them, and that your candied bacon isn't searing hot when it hits the frosting. Don't wanna ruin such a good thing by rushing through it. P.S. Be sure to post pics to our social media profiles if you make a tasty batch of these yourself! Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes: 1 box Yellow/Butter cake mix 12 oz of beer (We suggest an IPA to go with that bacon/butter cake flavor. For example, Long Play IPA or Surly Dog IPA), reserve 1/4 cup for frosting 2 eggs Frosting & Topping:1 cup salted butter, softened (about 2 sticks) 1 box confectioner's sugar (1 lb) 1/4 cup beer 1 tsp. vanilla extract 12 strips of bacon 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake/muffin pan with 24 cupcake liners. Pour cake mix, 12 oz. of beer, and eggs into a large bowl. Mix according to package directions. Fill cupcake liners ¾ of the way full with cupcake batter, and bake according to package directions. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool while you prepare your frosting and candied bacon topping. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or tin foil. Lay your 12 strips of bacon flat on the parchment and sprinkle them with brown sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the bacon is crispy and browned. Remove from the oven, and set the sheet aside to cool completely. Place the softened sticks of butter in a large bowl and beat them until smooth. Add confectioner's sugar, beer, and vanilla extract; beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, spread the frosting on your cupcakes and top them decoratively with candied bacon. Don't be afraid to pair a bottle of the beer you used to make the cupcakes with them! Delicious.