We have been getting in the Halloween spirit this week. I have the house decorated in different light up pumpkins. My son has his pirate costume ready, and I just have to get one more thing for him, his pirate hat, and he’ll be ready to go. I know, I forgot the most important part. I still haven’t decided if I am going to do the pirate thing myself, or just wear cat ears and all black like I usually do. Yesterday we made these cute little witch cupcakes. I used a Hersey kiss and a Snackwell’s devil’s food cookie for the hat. I just used pre-made orange decorator frosting to attach the two pieces to form the hat. The chocolate cupcake recipe is adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe.
Yield: Serves 4
Cupcakes
1 stick, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 plus 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Green Frosting
4 oz shortening
4 oz softened butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
green food coloring
Decorations
Snackwell's Devils Food Cookies
Dark chocolate kisses
black and red decorator gel
pre-made orange decorator frosting
chow mien noodles
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar together in stand mixer until light in color. Add egg and mix until well incorporated. Add 1/2 the flour, the sour cream, the other half of the flour and then the milk. Mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla and mix until batter is smooth.
2. Pour batter into cupcake cups and bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes, or until cake passes the tooth pick test.
3. Let cupcakes cool. Add shortening, butter and flour to a large bowl for the frosting. Add milk and beat until light and fluffy. Add food coloring until you get the desired color.
4. Pipe frosting on cupcakes using large round tip. Attach chocolate kiss to cookie using orange decorator frosting. Place on top of green frosting mound. Create witch face with black decorator icing. Add chow mien noodles for hair.
Tip: for the best frosting dye, be sure to get gel food coloring.
Makes 12 cupcakes
