Glazed Apple, Maple and Bacon Cake...

You know that amazingly delicious flavor that gets created in your mouth when you sit down to a plate of gourmet bacon and eggs, served up with pancakes and maple syrup? This is all that goodness in a cake and yes it is for breakfast..yum... it doesn't get any better, with bacon and butter and pecans and apples and maple syrup!

Everyone I know has those camping memories etched deeply into their minds of waking up to the wafting aroma of pancakes and bacon cooking and sitting down to enjoy a plate just seems to make the day feel like a dream come true.....


Glazed Apple, Maple and Bacon Cake

For the Cake
10 strips of Bacon 
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon maple extract
3/4 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cup peeled, diced apples
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped, save a few for the top

Ingredients For The Glaze:
6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
A pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

First, be sure that your oven rack is in the middle / central position.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Use butter or cooking spray of your choice to coat an 8-inch-square pan, I used a springform pan... In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon, turning several times, until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.

Place the cooked bacon on a plate, between a couple of paper towels in order to remove excess bacon grease.

Chop 8 of the bacon slices finely, being sure to set 2 pieces aside for garnish.

 in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and set aside.

In another large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. add the eggs and maple extract to bowl and beat at medium speed until light.

Reduce speed to low and add the buttermilk. Beat until well-blended.

Add dry ingredients one spoon at a time to the wet ingredients and mix till the contents are well mixed and fluffy in consistency.
Stir in the apples, pecans and bacon.
Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted deep into the center comes out clean.
Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes.

Take the cake out of the pan Un-mold the cake and place on a rack to cool to room temperature before icing.

In a small bowl, whisk confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon until smooth and clinging to the back of a spoon. using a spoon; drizzle the icing in a “back-and-forth” motion across the cake.
Sprinkle with the reserved 2 slices of chopped bacon.
Allow to set for at least 30 minutes before serving...

                                                  buy thick sliced and as lean of bacon as you can find...

here are all the ingredients minus the butter, not sure why the butter is not here but I don't see it anywhere...

cake batter....all whipped up

bacon, pecans, and chopped apples....

I floured the sides of the pan just to make sure it came out ok, not sure if it needed it, just wanted some insurance....

out of the oven, and smelling GREAT!

out of the pan....and cooling...

the glaze for the top...

glaze and sprinkle with the remaining bacon and nuts...

I just love how this looks!

and here it is!...Ta Da!  it really doesn't taste like cake at all...it is the texture of banana bread...and about as sweet...definitely for morning with a hot cup of steaming coffee....around the campfire....

Cheers to Happy  !!