Gluten Free Pumpkin Cupcakes with Vanilla Maple Frosting & Maple Bacon Crumbles

Today I really felt like baking, just one of those days where Stephen was at football, I probably should have been working out, and just felt good :) I am trying not to eat wheat or gluten (as much as possible) so I made these gluten free! I am also not supposed to be eating white sugar, but we will keep this a secret right? AAANdddd because there is bacon on them, that makes them Paleo right? :) Honestly, the ingredients list below looks really long, but these cupcakes are super simple!

Cupcakes
1 cup Gluten Free AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs at room temp
1 cup pumpkin puree 
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese at room temp
4 tablespoons butter at room tempvanilla beans removed from 2 pods

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used my homemade extract)
1/2 teaspoon imitation maple flavor (NOT maple syrup)
2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Topping
1/2 pound crumbled Maple Bacon

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake tins with liners (This recipe makes approx 18 medium sized cupcakes)
• Into a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
• In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.
• Divide the batter among the prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside and cool.
• Before cooking, cut up bacon into small pieces then fry up. Set aside and cool completely
• Make the maple frosting by using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple flavoring and vanilla extract. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Adapted from Ina Garten