Chocolate Cupcakes with Candied Bacon

People in the office make lots of jokes regarding me being a vegan, in a loving way of course.

Well these bacon cupcakes all started because a co-worker tried to make an outlandish request; he asked for a chocolate bacon cake for his b-day.  I like to bring in a birthday treat for everyone, so I ask for a favorite dessert!  Even though I am vegan, I love to experiment with baking, so I gladly accepted the challenge.

I'm still tweaking the recipe, looking for the perfect balance between chocolate and bacon.  Once I do get the recipe just right, I will share!  Essentially, it is a chocolate cake, with chocolate icing and candied bacon on top.  I candy the bacon by cooking it in brown sugar with a bit of cinnamon and cayenne pepper.  It smelled so good I was tempted to eat a piece.

 We start with a chocolate base

 Add a little icing

And then a little bacon.  Enjoy!