Although it will always be my favorite use for it, maple syrup can be used for so much more than just topping pancakes and waffles. I’ve used it to sweeten cookies and homemade granola before, where it accents the other ingredients with its rich, sweet flavor. But there is no reason to keep maple as a background flavor and here I’ve made it the star flavor of a batch of Maple Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream, where there is real maple syrup in both the cake and the frosting.The cupcake recipe uses some brown sugar and some maple syrup for sweetness. The brown sugar helps give the cupcakes a tender consistency, and it also goes well with the maple syrup. There is no maple extract in here, so all that maple flavor comes from the syrup. I used Grade B maple syrup, which has a slightly stronger flavor than Grade A syrup. You can use either, but I’ll recommend B if you’re going out to buy some syrup. Do not use pancake syrup in these cupcakes.
The frosting also has some maple syrup in it. Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature when you mix them together so you get a very smooth frosting. Often, maple syrup is stored in the fridge, so consider this a quick reminder to take it out before you start to bake!
These have a great maple flavor to them, with a buttery undertone. I don’t think that they taste like pancakes, but if that is where you usually use maple syrup, the cupcakes might remind you of them! The cake has a slightly firm, tender crumb and holds up really well to frosting and to traveling, so consider these as an option for winter or holiday get-togethers.