Maple Bacon Cupcakes with Maple bacon frosting

Cupcakes
0 Start by pre-heating your oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Line your cupcake tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
1 Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2 In a large bowl of an electric mixer at high speed and with the paddle attachment, mix the sugars, oil, vanilla extract, maple extract, for 2 minutes. Add eggs, one by one, mixing after each addition.
3 With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, alternating. Start and finish with flour and mix until just incorporated. Do not over-mix!
4 Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake at 400 Fahrenheit for 5 minutes in your preheated oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 9-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5 Remove your cupcakes from the oven, let them cool for 3-5 minutes in the cupcake tin, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Maple glazed bacon
8 Cut your bacon strips into three equally-sized pieces each, so you end up with a total of 12 smaller bacon strips. Lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush both sides with maple syrup.
9 Bake them for 20-25 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and fully cooked. Once they're out of the oven, let them cool, and then give them another brush with maple syrup on both sides.
Frosting
11 In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter, extracts, and salt until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes.
12 Add cream cheese and beat until just combined. With the mixer running on medium speed, gradually incorporate powdered sugar, and beat for an additional minute.
13 Place your creamy frosting in a piping bag, frost your cupcakes, garnish with one completely cooled glazed bacon strip, and drizzle with maple syrup.