Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, diced onion, bell pepper, garlic, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

Press the meat mixture firmly into each cup of a 12-cup muffin tin, filling to the top and eliminating air pockets.

Wrap one slice of bacon around the outside of each meatloaf cupcake, tucking the ends underneath to secure.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 160°F and the bacon begins to crisp.

While the cupcakes bake, prepare the bourbon BBQ glaze. In a small saucepan, combine BBQ sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and brush the tops generously with the bourbon BBQ glaze. Return to the oven and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the glaze is caramelized.

While the cupcakes finish baking, prepare the mashed potato frosting. Boil the peeled and cubed potatoes in a large pot of salted water until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well.

Mash the potatoes with warmed milk, butter, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. The consistency should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped.

Let the meatloaf cupcakes rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven.

Transfer the mashed potato frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, or use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the frosting onto the top of each meatloaf cupcake in decorative swirls.

Drizzle with any remaining bourbon BBQ glaze and serve warm.