Halloween Baking Ideas – Spooky Spider Cupcakes

Halloween is just around the corner & it’s time to wrack your brain for some Halloween Baking Ideas again…

Lots of people I know have recently given birth, have small children or seem to be looking after someone else’s child. CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN.  It got me thinking (dear God, not about having one) but about entertaining them. So, I thought these might help out with the ‘what do we do with the kids’ for at least a few hours this Halloween (and they taste chocolate-ly fit, so you can enjoy them too) I maybe recommend making the cupcakes in advance and then decorating with the kids? But then what do I know…you’re the ones with the babes! Happy Baking.

Makes 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

For The Cupcakes (OR if you want plain cupcakes, use the simpler cupcake recipe here)

120g plain flour (sifted)
20g cocoa (sifted)
1 tsp baking baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
100g unsalted butter
70g caster sugar
70g soft light brown sugar (or caster sugar if you haven’t got any to hand)
1 medium egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
70ml whole milk

For The Icing & Decoration

150g icing sugar (sifted)
50g cocoa (sifted)
50g unsalted butter (room temperature)
70ml whole milk

chocolate sprinkles, for face
mento mints/polos/skittles, for eyes
liquorice pen for eyeballs, optional
mini silver balls/penny sweets, for mouth
liquorice/strawberry/cola laces, for legs

Line a 12 hole cupcake tray with cupcake liners

Preheat oven to 175oC

For The Cupcakes

1) In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bi carb, salt. Mix together until everything is evenly dispersed and set aside.

2) In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy. Now beat in the egg and the vanilla extract. Once combined add half the flour bowl that was set aside, stir with a wooden spoon until just combined (do not over mix) then stir in half the milk. Repeat until all the flour and milk has been folded in.

3) Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake cases until about 3/4 full. Pop on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 20-22 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For The Icing

1) In a medium bowl sieve together the icing sugar and cocoa powder and mix until everything is evenly dispersed. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl beat the butter until soft and then, little by little (cos it will go EVERYWHERE) beat in half the icing sugar/cocoa mix. Then pour in half the milk, beat again and then repeat until everything has been combined. (If it’s a little runny add a bit more icing sugar, if a little thick add a tiny splash of milk)

To Assemble

I imagine this is quite obvious from the photograph and you should really let your/small person’s imagination go crazy, but here are a few tips:

1) Spread the icing, quite thinly, on top of the cupcakes and then shower with your desired amount of chocolate sprinkles.

2) Best to decorate the face before you add the legs, as the legs are the most delicate.

3) Once the face is as mental/lovely/crazy as desired, poke 8 small holes around the cupcake to help support your spider legs (a tooth pick/skewer will do the job). I found that all the laces I wanted to use for legs were a little thick, so I cut them in half lengthways before assembling on the body)

Happy Halloween!

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