Start by making the candied bacon. Before you get all your ingredients out, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Find a baking sheet and line with foil and place an oven-safe baking rack on top. You will use this to set the bacon on while it cooks.

Whisk the brown sugar, white sugar, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Cut the bacon strips in half and then toss in the sugar mixture.

Once coated, place the bacon strips on the baking rack and bake in the oven until dark brown, approximately 15-20 minutes. Remove bacon from the oven. Once cool transfer to a plate and pat dry with a paper towel. Roughly chop 6 pieces of bacon and set aside.

Time to make the cupcake batter. Combine vegetable oil, brown sugar, espresso, cocoa powder, and chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave chocolate mixture until hot. Whisk until all ingredients are smooth and then set aside to cool. While the ingredients in the large bowl cool, in a separate bowl combine all of your dry ingredients. Whisk flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Take ingredients from the medium bowl and place them into the large bowl containing your chocolate mixture. Whisk until combined

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Evenly divide the chocolate batter between the 12 cups.

Bake cupcakes in the oven until they have a springy center when lightly touched, approximately 20-25 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes in the muffin pan. Then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

To make the frosting, beat the dulce de leche, cream cheese, and vanilla in a large bowl until combined.

Place cream cheese frosting mix into a pastry bag fitted with a large star-tip and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Pipe chilled frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Top with the candied bacon and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.