Lay out your pieces of uncooked bacon on a cookie sheet covered in foil and bake for 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Once your bacon is crisp, remove the bacon to a paper towel covered plate to drain away the grease and set aside.
Next, preheat oven to 350 degrees or whatever the boxed cake mix calls for and line a cupcake tin with paper liners. Combine your Maple Bacon Cupcakes batter as instructed but add in one extra egg white, substitute the water for milk and use melted butter in place of the oil and double the amount of oil called for. Add in the vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup and mix to combine.
Fill your cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full with the batter and bake your Maple Bacon Cupcakes in the oven for the suggested amount of time on the box. When your Maple Bacon Cupcakes are done, remove from the oven and let sit for 1 minute before moving Maple Bacon Cupcakes to a rack to cool.
Once your cupcakes are completely cool, make your Maple buttercream frosting. Start by adding softened butter to a large mixing bowl and beating until creamy. Sift in the powdered sugar and salt, then add in the maple syrup, vanilla and mix to combine. If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar, if it is too thick, add a bit of milk to thin the frosting out. Frost your Maple Bacon Cupcakes and then using your fingers, lightly crumble the bacon into small pieces and then add it to the frosting and lightly press to make sure they stick.