Halloween Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sour cream (120g)
• 1 cup buttermilk (240mL)
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup hot coffee (360mL strong, use a mocha pot so it's basically espresso)
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil (180mL)
• 1 tbs vanilla extract (15mL)
• 3 cup all-purpose flour (360g)
• 2 2/3 cup granulated sugar (535g)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (65g)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (6g)
• 1 tbsp baking soda (18g)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (5g)
• 3 tsp vanilla (15mL)
• 1 lb confectioner's sugar (450g)
• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (250g)
• 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream (45mL)
• Green food coloring
• Orange food coloring
• black gel food coloring
• 3/4 cup melted chocolate

Method

1. Preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Add papers to a cupcake pan.
3. Sift together the dry ingredients (including the sugar) into a stand mixer bowl. Whisk until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and whisk together.
5. Add wet to dry ingredients in the stand mixer bowl.
6. Whisk to combine, then mix on level 2 for two minutes.
7. Distribute batter into cupcake papers. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Allow time to cool fully.
9. Whip the butter for about 5 minutes using a paddle attachment on the stand mixer.
10. Beat in the confectioner’s sugar slowly.
11. Add cream and vanilla. Beat until you have an even, fluffy consistency.
12. For the Piping Bags:
13. Prepare 3 piping bags fitted with large round tips. Add green, orange and white to separate bags. These will be used as the base colors.
14. Add black food gel to melted chocolate, transfer to a piping bag. Snip off the tip. This will be used for the base of the mummy and facial details for multiple cupcakes.
15. Pipe a black base.
16. Fit a piping bag with a 47 flat tip, add a small amount of white buttercream.
17. Pipe lines to create a bandage look.
18. Add candy eyes.
19. Pipe ‘L’ shaped legs onto parchment paper with the black gel bag. Transfer to the freezer for 5 - 10 minutes to set.
20. Pipe a white base. Switch back to the black. Pipe a spiral.
21. Drag a point tool or toothpick through the buttercream and chocolate layers, working from the inside out. This will create the web look.
22. Add a brown peanut m&m for the body and a regular brown m&m for the head. Add chocolate legs.
23. Pipe bands of orange, working from bottom to top to create a pumpkin look.
24. Add a green stem on top of the pumpkin.
25. Pipe black jack o lantern facial details.
26. Pipe a green base.
27. Place candy eyes.
28. Add black facial details.
29. Pipe a white base, then facial details with black frosting.