TURTLES Bacon Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 375° F. Arrange strips of bacon on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes (rotating pan halfway through) or until bacon is almost crisp. Remove 2 strips of bacon and place on paper towel. Sprinkle remaining piece of bacon evenly with ½ teaspoon brown sugar. Bake for 3 minutes or until sugar melts. Set aside to use as garnish.

Reduce oven to 350° F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl; mix well. Whisk together browned butter, remaining sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Crumble the 2 strips of bacon and fold into batter, along with 2/3 of chopped TURTLES pieces. Spoon into prepared cups, filling 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Crumble remaining sugar coated strip of bacon and combine with remaining chopped TURTLES; sprinkle mixture over cupcakes.