Coconut-Maple-Bacon Cupcakes

You may remember a few weeks ago

I shared in this post how I fell in love in LOVE
with the maple bacon cupcake!
I decided to do my spin on it for the challenge.

Here are my ingredients

You know I'm all about semi-homemade!

I started by taking about a half cup 
of sweetened coconut and spreading it on a small baking sheet.

 I place it under the broiler for about 2 minutes.
I am here to help so, 
don't go off to throw a load of 
laundry into the dryer while this is cooking.
It toasts up 
QUICK, seriously QUICK!

 Here is the second batch of coconut all nice and toastedy.

Next, I prepared the cake batter per the instructions on the 
back of the box using just egg whites.
I added one and a half teaspoon of maple flavoring to the batter.

I then coarsely chopped up 5 slices of cooked bacon.
You can, and I should have, use more if you'd like.
Add to the batter making sure it is all nicely distributed.

For the first batch I filled the cupcake cups
and then put some of the toasted coconut on top.

For the second batch I just put it right in the batter.
I liked them much better with the coconut in the batter.

I had preheated the oven to 350.
After placing the cupcakes in the oven, I dropped 
the temperature down to 325 and baked for 20 minutes.
They came out perfect!

For the frosting I followed this recipe from Karlynn from
The Kitchen Magpie
My favorite icing is buttercream and when she says
hers is the best, I just gotta agree!
Sure, I could have gone with a tub of frosting but,
I don't like the artificial taste of tubbed frosting 
so, I went for homemade!

 Now, you real bakers out there may already know of this 
little magic bottle of sweetness but, it was new to me!
The Denver Cupcake Truck uses it on their cupcakes
and it makes a cupcake a CUPCAKE!
Plus, they are sparkly and I like sparkly things.

I frosted, added the shimmer gems and more of the toasted coconut
and topped them with a sliver of bacon.

How cute do they look on one of my candlewick dessert plates
placed on one of the candlesticks I scored on my big thrifting day?

So, how do they taste?
Let's just say that,
I no longer have to hunt down
the Denver Cupcake Truck!
Or, pay big bucks for a fancy cupcake!

Mr. B thought they were BETTER
than the Cupcake Truck!!
So, even if I don't win the challenge,
I scored big points at home!
He said that the addition of the coconut took them 
right over the top!

So, there you have it, my gourmet, semi-homemade
Coconut, Maple Bacon Cupcakes.

I hope you give them a try yourself cuz I know,
You're Gonna Love It!

   Click here to see where else I may be partying this week.

And don't forget to come by on Tuesday's
for the link party.