Chocolate Cupcakes … Halloween Spider Cupcakes
Serves: 32 approx.
 
Ingredients …
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder (I used raw cacao)
  • ¾ cup boiling water
  • 250g butter, softened
  • 2 cups caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 ½ cups self-raising flour (I used gluten-free)
  • 300ml milk
  • Icing
  • ¾ cup icing sugar
  • ⅛ cup cocoa powder (I used raw cacao)
  • 25g butter, melted
  • ½ – 1 tablespoon milk
  • To create the Spider
  • 2 white chocolate melts
  • 2 milk chocolate chips
  • Chocolate sprinkles
  • Licorice strap
Method …
  1. Preheat oven to 160C and line 32 holes in 3 muffin trays with cupcake wrappers.
  2. Whisk cocoa and boiling water together in a small bowl until combined and smooth. Allow to cool.
  3. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy and light. Beat in eggs, one at a time until all combined. Add cocoa mixture and blend on a low speed until just combined. Add milk and blend on low speed until just combined. Finally, add self-raising flour and blend on low speed until just combined.
  4. Spoon mixture into cupcake wrappers and fill each one approximately two thirds.
  5. Bake cupcakes for approximately 25 minutes. Test by inserting a skewer in the middle, which should come out clean. Turn onto wire racks to cool.
  6. To make icing, blend all 4 ingredients together. Icing should be spreadable but not too thick.
  7. Spread cupcakes with icing then dip into chocolate sprinkles and refrigerate for 10 minutes until firm.
  8. Attach 2 large white chocolate melts to the top of the cupcake using a small amount of icing. On top of each white chocolate melt, attach one milk chocolate chip with a small amount of icing to create the spiders eyes.
  9. Cut a strip of licorice into a length approximately 4cm long and then cut into thin 8 strips.
  10. Using a skewer, poke 4 holes on each side of the cupcake on either side of the eyes and insert the licorice strips to create the spider’s legs.
Recipe by Mrs Organised at http://www.mrsorganised.com.au/2014/10/19/chocolate-cupcakes-halloween-spider-cupcakes/