Skip to Content

THE Candied Jalapeno Bacon Viogner Cupcakes

Sharing is caring!

I’m pretty sure the first words some of you uttered to yourself upon seeing the title of this post were “It’s about time!”. Thank you for being patient through the move, settling to a reasonable degree, and the time it takes me to measure out the “by sight and non-standard measurement” ingredients typical of most “Goodie Godmother Bakery Vault” recipes.

Bacon for Jalapeno Bacon Cupcakes

I have shared at least one other “Vault” recipe with you on the blog (Coconut Oatmeal Cookies), and these moments are always a big deal for me. I know it’s just a recipe, but it’s my recipe, my work for my “bakery”, and some of these recipes hold spaces very near and dear to my heart. For example, my baklava recipe does because it makes my house smell just like it did when I was growing up, making baklava at home with my grandparents. These cupcakes do because they remind me of how joyful it made me to go to work each day, how thankful I was for the opportunity to bake for many life memories, those incredible moments of inspiration when smells and flavors would become real in my mind and then my kitchen, and the friendships and happy hearts I was blessed to have as clients, friends, and partners during our time in California. That’s a lot of love in one small cupcake.

Ready to bake candied jalapeno bacon viogner cupcakes

There’s also a little irony in this post which I find amusing and I hope you do too. This post goes live the day we start a Whole 7-maybe-9. So, I’m tempting you all with a spicy sweet delight and I’m swearing off sugar, soy, dairy, and wheat for a week or so. Funny isn’t it? As you know, I’m all about balance, so some of those recipes will be making their way to the blog soon too. These cupcakes are worth every bite though. Every. One.

Pretty Cupcakes all in a row

I also have a fun tidbit of news to share about the cupcakes. As of last week, these cupcakes are officially “award winning”! Granted, it was just a little dessert competition at the Godfather’s office that I didn’t even realize I was entered in until after he did it, but I won. He won a nifty parking spot for a week, and I guess I now have an extra set of “marketing words” I can use to describe my cupcakes. That was a fun surprise last Friday, hooray!

fresh from the oven jalapeno bacon cupcakes

I actually have two versions of this recipe, one “small” version that makes about a dozen cupcakes, and this bigger version that makes about two dozen. I couldn’t decide which to share at first, but since I needed cupcakes for blog photos and the Godfather had to take to his work picnic, circumstances decided for me. You can definitely halve this recipe and get great results since the difference between the two is minuscule and I actually have halved the larger recipe before. Although, if you already have the bacon on hand, the viogner curd, the candied jalapenos, why not make extra and share? 😉

Viogner buttercream frosting

 

A few important notes:

  1. The recipe calls for bacon fat. Don’t try to use the drippings from the candied bacon in the batter, the sugar makes it too sweet. Cook up 2-3 strips of bacon and then reserve the fat for use in the cupcakes. Eat the bacon.
  2. To fill the cupcakes easily, you can find a special “filling tip” at your local craft store or on Amazon (I have this one from Ateco and I love it).
  3. If you don’t want to set off the smoke alarm (twice!), don’t try to candy the bacon on a cooling rack over the baking sheet in the oven or you won’t have enough fat mixing with the sugar to keep it from burning before your bacon is done. Then your house smells like burnt sugar, and you’ve set off the smoke detector at 6 a.m. Oops.
  4. The wine you use will change the flavor of the recipe. The inspiration wine for this recipe is the Nagy Wines Viogner (which has a super ridiculously sweet origin story you can read here). While you may substitute another Viogner wine, I think it’s worth contacting Clarissa directly to order if you can’t find it locally.

We actually purchased an assorted case of all her current releases before we moved to Virginia, and will be ordering more soon, so we are definite fans. My personal favorites are the Pinot Noir (her latest is incredible), Syrah, and the Viogner. Pinot Blanc and Rose are great as well… so definitely a small producer I recommend supporting and that is my 100% unsolicited, personal opinion.

candied bacon

This cupcake is best broken into at least a three day process, so you can make candied jalapenos day 1 if you haven’t done so in advance, the jalapeno viogner curd on day 2, and the cupcakes on day 3.

Frosted candied jalapeno bacon viogner cupcakes ready for topping

Have everything ready? Then it’s {finally} time for the recipe!

Topped candied jalapeno bacon viogner cupcakes

Candied Jalapeno Bacon Viogner Cupcake Recipe - Goodie Godmother Blog

THE Candied Jalapeno Bacon Viogner Cupcakes

THE Candied Jalapeno Bacon Viogner Cupcakes

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Bacon, jalapenos, and wine? A spicy sweet tantalizing cupcake treat! 😉

Ingredients

Cake

  • 4 c all-purpose flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 t baking powder
  • 1.5 t baking soda
  • 1 t salt
  • 2 t bacon fat
  • 2 T Viogner wine
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 c granulated sugar
  • 1 T candied jalapeno syrup
  • 1 3/4 c buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1/4 c sour cream

Filling

  • 2 c prepared jalapeno viogner curd (recipe on the blog)

Frosting

  • 1 lb unsalted butter, softened
  • 8-10 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/4 c Viogner wine

Topping

  • 1/3 c brown sugar
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • candied jalapenos (recipe on the blog)

Instructions

    To make the cake

    1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and place paper liners in two one-dozen cupcake pans. Set aside.
    2. Cream the butter, sugar, and bacon fat in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
    3. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring and scraping the bowl after each addition. Stir in the wine.
    4. Mix together your dry ingredients in another bowl. Mix together the sour cream and buttermilk.
    5. Alternating between the flour mixture and buttermilk, add remaining ingredients to your mixer bowl, stirring on low speed until just combined.
    6. Divide the batter between the two cupcake pans, filling each cup about 2/3 full.
    7. Bake for 15-17 minutes until the cupcakes are done and the tops spring back when touched.
    8. Remove from the oven and transfer cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely. Turn off the oven so you can make the bacon in a bit.
    9. Make the frosting and candied bacon while waiting for the cupcakes to cool.

    Make the Frosting

    1. Wash your mixer bowl.
    2. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
    3. Add four cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
    4. Stir in the Viogner.
    5. Add an additional 4 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and check the consistency. If your frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar. If you accidentally add too much and it is too thick, thin with a little more wine.

    To Make Candied Bacon

    1. Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil.
    2. Scoop a packed 1/3 c of light brown sugar onto a plate.
    3. Press each strip of bacon into the sugar on both sides to coat. Arrange in a single layer on the pan.
    4. Place the bacon in the almost cool if not completely cool oven, and close the door.
    5. Turn your oven on and set to 400 F.
    6. When the oven reaches temperature, check the bacon. If it is not cooked through, allow it to cook in increments of 3-5 minutes until done. Check frequently, it will burn easily!
    7. When the bacon is done, remove from the oven. Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray or rub with a little vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Transfer the bacon to the rack to drain and cool.
    8. Cut into 3/4" chunks (or desired size) to top the cupcakes.

    Assembly

    1. Place your prepared jalapeno viogner curd in a piping bag fitted with your filling tip.
    2. Poke a hole in the center of each cupcake with the frosting tip and pipe in the curd, counting to three. This ensures each cupcake has an even amount of filling.
    3. After filling the cupcakes, fit a piping bag with your preferred jumbo frosting tip. I use an Ateco jumbo closed star tip, but any will do, and frost your cupcakes.
    4. Take two dozen of your candied jalapeno slices and pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess syrup.
    5. Top each cupcake with a candied jalapeno slice and a piece of candied bacon.
    6. Eat the extra candied bacon.
    7. Enjoy!

    Did this recipe inspire you?

    Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram


    Candied jalapeno bacon viogner cupcake recipe on Goodie Godmother

     

    Disclaimer: This post does contain an affiliate link (amazon). I love providing free recipes for personal use, and thank you so much in advance for your support of Goodie Godmother by purchasing goods through our affiliate links and visiting our advertisers. 

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Skip to Recipe