Ingredients:

* 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
* 3 large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 box french vanilla instant pudding mix
* 1 cup all purpose flour

* 1 cup cake flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder

* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
* 1/4 cup Grade A Dark Amber pure maple syrup
* 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon Frontier Natural Flavors maple flavor

* 1/2 teaspoon bacon drippings

* 1 cup cooked Applewood smoked bacon (10 thick strips), chopped

For the frosting:

* 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup Grade A Dark Amber pure maple syrup

* 1/8 teaspoon Frontier Natural Flavors maple flavor
* 8-10 drops violet food color
* 1 1/2 boxes confectioners' sugar, sifted

* 1 tablespoon water, as needed
* edible sugar pearls, for garnish
 
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with silver foil cupcake papers.

In a large frying pan cook small batches of bacon until it is crisp. Allow to cool and drain on a paper towel lined plate, then chop into chocolate chip sized pieces. Pour the leftover bacon drippings into a container and place in the refrigerator to solidify.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, bacon drippings and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. You can NEVER beat the butter/sugar too much. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla extract, maple syrup and maple flavor. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder, instant pudding mix and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Add bacon bits. Mix until incorporated. Do not mix the batter too much.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whip attachment, combine the butter, vanilla, maple syrup, maple flavor and food color on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and increase the speed to high , mixing until very light and fluffy, adding water as needed.

Garnish with sugar pearls. Pig out!

Makes 24 cupcakes