Halloween Cupcakes

Happy Halloween!

If it's at all possible, I think I'm sick of chocolate. I've eaten a cupcake a day for the past 4, indulged in many decadent chocolate treats, and am totally done. My body is now craving juicy peaches, crisp apples, crunchy carrots, fresh greens, whole grains, and legumes. I want salads and warm hearty soups. I need oatmeal and yogurt, lentils and tofu and water. No more wine, beer, spirits, cider, mulled wine. {maybe just until Christmas}.

For the rest of you who haven't over indulged on the chocolate train, and love love love cupcakes, I have a recipe for you. As you may or may not know, Trophy Cupcakes are my absolute favorite. They are moist and airy. Sweet, creamy, mouth watering goodness. They are perfect and wonderful and I love them. Lucky or not so lucky, depending on how you look at the situation, they have a cute little shop just down from my house.

Martha Stewart also loves them and has been kind enough to share a Trophy Cupcake recipe on her website, so that we can all enjoy these amazingly delicious bundles of heaven.


Not only are these cupcakes amazing, they are even more special topped with a tiny little pumpkin. The Texanerin has made a wonderful tutorial on how to make these cute little fondant pumpkins. They are perfectly cute on top of a cupcake or in a patch on top of a cake.

I hope you don't over indulge this evening, as I have. Have a fun and exciting Halloween!

[Print Recipe]

HALLOWEEN CUPCAKE RECIPE (makes 24)
{recipe adapted from Trophy Cupcakes via Martha Stewart}

Cupcake Ingredients
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Frosting Ingredients
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup whole milk

Tiny Pumpkin Ingredients
fondant
orange, brown, and green food coloring

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners and set to the side.

2. In a large bowl, sift the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a hand mixer, on low speed, combine the dry ingredients.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

4. Add the boiling water and stir.

5. Pour the batter into the muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.

6. While the cupcakes are cooling, beat the butter until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes on medium speed.

7. Add the sugar and cocoa powder, and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and milk and beat until light and airy, approximately 3 - 4 minutes. Once the cupcakes have cooled, frost them. I used a piping bag with a 1M tip. Please follow this link for instructions.

8. To make the tiny pumpkins, please follow this great tutorial from the Texanerin.