Bacon Weave Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes with Bacon Compote

I’m typing up this post an hour before I have to hop onto a ferry to get to diabetes camp. Don’t worry, it’s not for me personally! I’m volunteering there as a dietetic intern.

Whoa. I just realized the weight of that role. I probably should’ve slept instead of pulling an all-nighter writing this post eh? I find myself in this situation way too often. You know you’re obsessed with your food blog when you neglect your actual job that you actually went to school for and paid an actual bajillion (give or take a couple majillion) dollars for to get an actual degree.

I find myself in this sleepless situation way too often. Starting to wonder if I’m stupid or overly dedicated. Maybe they’re the same thing. I guess there has to be a component of stupidity in passion and faith in one’s dreams in order for them to come true.

If I wasn’t stuck in these circumstances, I would’ve PTFO’d at like 12am, but it is what it is. So what are the circumstances?

StartingtomorrowI’llbeawayfromhomeonvacaytoSouthEastAsiafor5weeksandI’mterrified.

So yeah, not sure if you caught that but that’s what’s happening in my life right now! Been so busy preparing for my trips that I’ve been super backlogged with the blog. And that’s why I’m still awake, holding my eyeballs open with my fingers and trying to type up this post with one hand before I leave on vacay!

Don’t laugh at me, but uh, I was actually super afraid of going to South East Asia. I know, I know, it sounds so ignorant and city-slicker-princess-bitchy (I’m anything but that, trust me), but with what goes on in the news and stuff, you would be kinda scared too.

Check out this impressive list of scary things:
Random episodes of diarrhea
Not knowing where to go
Airplanes
Scammers/evil people
Malaria
Heatstroke
Open sewage systems
Getting robbed by a motorcyclist whilst strolling peacefully through town
Running out of money because I spent it all on pho/pad thai/mango sticky rice

Legit concerns dude.

At the same time, it’s the number one place in the world that intrigues me to travel and explore its landscape, people and culture. So I rounded up a bunch of brave peeps from different walks of my life (including my sissi-ta!) and bought a plane ticket.

I NEED this getaway. I’m honestly so tired of North America and people using dumb sayings in regular conversation like “first world problems”, “eyebrows on fleek/point”, “can’t even” and so so much more (if you’re one of those people who uses those phrases, YOU NEED TO STOP. LIKE RIGHT NOW. PLEASE?) All it reminds me is that our culture is consumerism and our hobbies are spoiling ourselves. It’s annoying and I hate finding myself in that gross environment.

Can’t wait to tap into the rich culture of SE Asia, my soul needs some rejuvenating.

Alright, rambling is over. On to these bacon weave chocolate caramel cupcakes with bacon compote! Man, that was a mouthful. I couldn’t leave a word out of the name though, that would just be offensive to the cupcake.

So how did these come about? Well, I knew that I wanted to make something with bacon and maple (so Canadian of me) but I also wanted it to be original. Seen too many versions of this already!

Staying true to my inner-fatass, I decided that my “something original” would be making an over-the-top, artery-clogging, can’t-eat-for-the-next-day cupcake.

In comes bacon compote.

What is that Connie?! Well, lemme tell ya. It’s basically bacon that’s been cooked down and tenderized with brown sugar. I know, I’m disgusting.

Brought these into class and the moment I walked in, everyone clapped and cheered. It felt glorious. I honestly have the most supportive group of classmates. If any of you are reading this, THANK YOU YOU’RE AWESOME!

Want to feel glorious too? Make these and eat like 3 of them.

Salted caramel recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Chocolate cake recipe from Hershey