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1
To make cupcakes, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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2
Lightly butter a 12-cup muffin tin and line with cupcake liners; set aside.
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3
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon; set aside.
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4
In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine butter, both sugars and salt.
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5
Cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 minutes.
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6
With machine running, add eggs one at a time, and mix until well incorporated, 2 minutes.
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7
Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, turn mixer speed to low, and add 1/4 of the dry ingredients.
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8
When no traces of flour remain, add 1/3 of the buttermilk and mix until incorporated.
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9
Continue alternating flour mixture and buttermilk, ending with flour.
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10
Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, and gently mix in chopped chocolate and oatmeal.
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11
Divide among muffin cups; each should be 3/4 full.
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12
Bake until a tester comes out clean, 30 minutes.
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13
Turn out of tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
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14
To make frosting, in a heavy skillet, cook bacon over low heat until fat is rendered and meat is crisp.
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15
Set a sieve over bowl of mixer, and pour skillet contents into sieve.
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16
Reserve bacon bits.
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You should have no more than 3 tablespoons bacon fat in mixer bowl; set aside additional bacon fat for another use.
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Return skillet to heat and add butter.
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Butter will melt, then foam, then separate into golden liquid and white solids.
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Let butter cook, scraping bottom of pan occasionally to prevent burning, until milk solids toast and turn brown.
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21
Transfer browned butter to mixer bowl and refrigerate until cold.
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22
In separate bowl, combine milk, cream, creme fraiche, vanilla and maple syrup.
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23
In mixer bowl, cream bacon fat and brown butter with salt until smooth.
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24
Add confectioners sugar and mix at medium speed until fluffy, about 8 minutes.
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25
With mixer running, pour in milk mixture and continue mixing until smooth.
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26
Refrigerate until cold.
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27
With small offset spatula, fluff frosting until soft and spreadable but not runny.
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28
Spread about 3 tablespoons frosting on each cooled cupcake.
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29
Sprinkle a pinch of bacon bits and a pinch of flaky salt on top.
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30
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours.
