Sweet ale cupcakes

For the cupcakes

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 and fill a muffin tray with cupcake cases.
Add the dry cupcake ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the beer, melted butter, and vanilla. Before beating in the eggs one at time. Mix in sour cream until evenly spread and gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring well.
Add the cupcake mix to the muffin tray until each case is just over half full and pop into the oven for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
While the cupcakes cool, stir the cream cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating well between each.
Add the rest of the icing ingredients and stir well until evenly mixed and spoon it all into a piping bag and top the cupcakes.
Grill the bacon for 3 - 4 minutes on each side until it starts to crisp up. Sprinkle over the sugar and spice before popping back in for another 3 - 4 minutes, or until it starts to caramelise.
Chop the bacon up into bite sized pieces and slide into the icing to serve.

For the cupcakes