Halloween Cupcakes @Krista Davis

I've really enjoyed seeing the Halloween recipe ideas this week! Some of you are probably groaning because I admit that I have come up with some gruesome (but delicious!) ideas. Anyone remember Chicken Scaryaki or Dead Man's Bones? This year, I'm offering something sweeter.

The little candy pumpkins that are everywhere this time of year are the perfect size for miniature cupcakes. I used one of my favorite fall cupcake recipes, but you can use your family's favorite. It makes no difference here because it's all about the decoration. It would work just as well on cream cheese frosting. Although I suspect orange sanding sugar might be better on chocolate frosting. I'll let you be the judge of that. For that matter, you could make these with a box mix and ready made frosting. Shh, we won't tell!

All you need are miniature cupcakes, colored sanding sugar, and candy pumpkins. As you'll see, I tried using green sugar and orange jimmies, but I think  there's something magical about the purple sanding sugar.

And this is easy peasy. You can decorate these little cupcakes in a flash.

Applesauce Spice Cupcakes
makes 24 mini-cupcakes

3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of cloves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick) at room temperature
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg at room temperature
1/2 cup applesauce

Preheat oven to 350. Place cupcake liners in a miniature cupcake pan. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir with a fork to combine well. Set aside. Cream the butter with the sugars. Add the egg and beat. Add the applesauce and beat. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake 14-15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack before frosting.

Caramel Frosting

1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar

Place 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons butter, the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar in a microwave safe bowl. (I like to use a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup.) Microwave in short bursts of 30 seconds, stirring each time until the mixture bubbles up and is hot. Set aside to cool. The mixture must be completely cool to make the frosting. (After it cools substantially, I pop it in the fridge for 1/2 hour.)

Beat the 8 tablespoons of butter well, scraping the sides and beating again. Add the 2 tablespoons of cream, the cooked caramel mixture, and the vanilla and beat. Slowly add the powdered sugar until the frosting reaches the desired consistency. Beat for 2-3 minutes. It it's too soft, refrigerate for 1/2 hour and then frost the cupcakes.

Assembly

Purple sanding sugar
Candy pumpkins

Pour purple sanding sugar into a small bowl
Pipe frosting on the cupcakes.
Gently dip the frosted cupcakes in the sanding sugar.
Plop a pumpkin in the middle of each tiny cupcake.

Happy Halloween!

Coming very soon!