Spooktastic Cupcakes

We are not doing too much for Halloween this year....just planning on handing out candy to all the cute little trick or treaters. But of course I had to use the adorable cupcake wrappers and boxes I had purchased earlier this month. :)

Last year I made Red Velvet "Brain" cupcakes for Michael to take into work and I couldn't pass up the chance to make them again. I also wanted to attempt these "Bleeding Vampire Bite" cupcakes I have been seeing around. Both were a great success!!! And gone already...

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes I used a recipe from My Baking Addiction. 

The fabulous part about this recipe is that it only makes 12 cupcakes!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

For the Cupcakes

1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon white vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners or spray pan with 

    spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine oil and sugar 

    until well-blended. Add egg and mix until combined.

4. Turn your mixer down to the lowest speed add vanilla then slowly add in the food 

    coloring. Note:If you are using liquid food coloring, it will take about 2 tablespoons of 

    coloring to get a dark red shade. I used about 1 tablespoon of gel dye to achieve the 

    shade in the photographs. Add the dye slowly and color according to your preference.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches; scrape down the side of 

    the bowl. Continue mixing until just combined, taking care not to over mix.

6. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with machine 

    running. Beat for about 10 seconds.

7. Using a medium scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide batter among between the 12 

    wells, filling each well about 2/3 full of batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a   

    toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ¾ cups), sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (to maintain bright white color, I used pure vanilla extract since I was tinting them anyways)

Red and Blue food coloring

1. In a the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together, 

    cream cheese, shortening, and butter until well combined.

2. With the mixer of low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly 

    incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine.

3. Use about 3 drops red food coloring and 1 drop blue food coloring to create grayish 

    brain matter color.

Next, I wanted to use a pale white cake for the vampire bite cupcakes and when I found this recipe for white chocolate cupcakes I knew it would be perfect. They received so many compliments I will definitely be making them again!

White Chocolate Cupcakes 

from Shauna Sever

Makes 18 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped bar or chips
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
5 large egg whites

1 can Cherry Pie Filling

For the frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 1/2 ounces high-quality white chocolate, chopped bar or chips
Up to 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, to taste

1. Position an oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. 

    Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners, 12 in one and 6 in the other.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla until very 

    light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler. When it’s just warm to the touch, stir it 

    into the butter mixture on low speed, just until combined–it may separate a bit, but it 

    will come back together. 

5. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and the coconut milk in 

    three batches until well-blended. Transfer the batter to a medium bowl.

6. Clean and dry the bowl of the mixer. Whip the egg whites on medium high speed until  

    they reach soft peaks, about 4 minutes. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter in 

    three additions.

7. Fill the muffin cups no more than 3/4 of the way full with the batter. Bake one tin at a 

    time until a toothpick just comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly 

    touched, about 20 minutes. 

8. Remove cupcakes from tin and place onto a cooling rack, and let them cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt together until light and smooth. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler and cool until it is just warm to the touch. Scrape the white chocolate into the cream cheese mixture and beat to combine. Taste the icing and check the texture–if you like your icing sweeter and with a bit more body, add in some confectioners’ sugar. Set aside.

To make Vampire Bites:

1. Puree cherry pie filling in a blender. 
2. Use a knife to cut a small cone shape out of the center of the cupcake. 
3. Fill center with pureed filling.
4. Frost cupcake and spear two holes (I used a chopstick) into the top of the cake to 
    create bite marks.

 I hope you all have a very Happy Halloween!