Halloween Cupcake Ideas

It's that time of the year again - as October the 31st draws nearer, kids plan their costumes, and trick-or-treatin' youngsters come knocking at the door. This year, take some time out to up the spook factor with some fabulous Halloween cupcake ideas that will have your friends and family begging for more. Unleash the darkness with everything from fang toothed ghouls, to creepy eyeballs, armed with a piping bag and your imagination. Whether you're a baking expert or a beginner, these recipes below may help you come up with some unique additions to your repertoire.

Halloween Cupcake Recipes

Once you make a few batches of Halloween cupcakes, all you have to do is get down to the icing. The recipe that follows makes for 24 cupcakes, so increase or decrease the amounts proportionately as you see fit. Bake in batches to manage your time effectively, and remember to cool the cupcakes well before you settle down with your Halloween cupcake designs. If you're pressed for time, pick up packaged cake mixes or frosting, but if you're for all things homemade, the following is great cupcake recipe, with a couple of suggestions on frosting to get you started with your baking.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Brown sugar - 2 cups
• Butter - ½ cup
• Peanut butter - 1 cup
• Eggs - 2
• Milk - 1½ cups
• Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
• All-purpose flour - 2½ cups
• Baking soda - 1½ tsp
• Salt - a pinch

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius, Gas Mark 4). Grease and flour cupcake pans, or line with cupcake liners. Sift the dry ingredients together and keep aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, till light and fluffy, then add the peanut butter, and cream further until well combined.
3. Add the eggs, one a time, beating well between each addition, then stir in the vanilla. In two batches, carefully fold in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk.
4. Spoon into the prepared cupcake pan, and place in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly tapped.
5. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Butter-cream Frosting

Ingredients

• Bittersweet chocolate - 12 oz
• Butter - 2 cups
• Eggs - 2
• Icing sugar - 4 cups
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
• Salt - ½ tsp

Method

1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate till smooth, then cool slightly, stirring occasionally.
2. In another bowl, beat the butter, salt and vanilla essence till light and fluffy. Add the sugar, a little at a time, beating well between each addition, till completely used up, then add the eggs, one a time.
3. Finally, stir in the melted, cooled chocolate.

Fluffy White Frosting

Ingredients

• White sugar - 1 cup
• Water - ⅓ cup
• Cream of tartar - ¼ tsp
• Egg whites - 2
• Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Method

1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the water, sugar and cream of tartar, and cook over medium heat, till the mixture is bubbling.
2. In a clean grease free bowl, beat the egg whites with the vanilla, till soft peak consistency. While keeping the beater running, add the sugar solution in a steady stream, and continue beating till the frosting takes on a glaze, and you get hard peaks when you lift the whisk. Use immediately.

Halloween Cupcake Ideas for Kids

Keep the kids occupied by giving them some Halloween cupcakes to decorate themselves. Store bought candy and fun food colors added to frosting should give them enough ideas to keep them occupied for at least a little while! Use picture templates in your search for Halloween cupcake ideas, look online for guidance, or leave them to create their own versions of ghouls and goblins. The following are some simple ingredients that can double up as creepy crawlies and the like, to get them started on some Halloween cupcake decorations:

• Mini marshmallows for eye balls
• M&M's for eyes
• Tic-tacs, or mints for fangs
• Licorice lace or sprinkles for hair
• Gumdrops, candy coated licorice strips for noses
• Candies peel, licorice twists, hundreds and thousands and fondant cut outs for bits and bobs.

Now this was how to decorate cupcakes. Use these Halloween cupcake ideas to kick start your baking spree. Enjoy yourself, and let your creativity loose. Just make sure you bake enough, and don't be surprised when the fruits of your labor disappear without the slightest warning!