Halloween Cupcakes (Spiders & Bats)

This cupcakes are so cute and so easy to put together.  I was not blessed with the ability to pipe frosting and decorate cakes, so trust me, when I say: "If I can do it, you can do it." You actually can probably do it even better. Very simple and the kids and adults LOVE it!  I made these for my 4-year olds birthday party last night and they were a hit!

I just use a regular cake mix and follow the directions for cupcakes.  I did chocolate flavor for the bats and fun-fetti for the spiders.  Then I used store bought chocolate frosting and store bought vanilla frosting, dyed with orange food coloring. (on the food coloring, my orange always turns out peach, I even use the gels and the neon colors to no avail, any tips?) So make your cupcakes according to package directions, once cool, frost with frosting.  Nothing fancy, just use a knife and smooth it on.  Then on to decorating.

What you will need:

Bats:
24 Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies (extra for accidental breakage)
24 Hershey kisses
1 tube red gel

Cut each cookie in half using a large non serrated knife, like this one.

Place each half of the cookie on the cupcake like so:

You can chose to have the stripes showing or not, I happen to prefer the stripes it breaks up all the dark brown.

Place the kiss in between the cookie halves like this:

Repeat with all the cupcakes.  Then get out your red gel and place two dots on the kisses for eyes. All finished, that is it, easy peasy, and your kids will love you!

Spiders:
24 mini oreo cookies (extra for snacking!)
1 small tube black frosting
1 small tube red gel

Place the oreo in the center of each cupcake.

Then pipe on your red eyes using the red gel.

Then using the black frosting pipe on four spider legs on each side of the oreo.

I told you I have no talent when it comes to piping, so I am sure you can all do a better job with the spider legs.  That is it, all done!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Jack 'O Lantern Cake

This cake is so fun and sure to light up any party.  It looks like you went to a lot of work, but it is fairly simple.  If I can do it, you can too!  Trust me.

Jack 'O Lantern Cake

From: Family Fun

Serves: 24

Print Recipe

You can use this recipe below for the cake & frosting or you can make it really simple  and just use two cake mixes of any flavor you choose and two or three containers of store bought frosting.

Cake:

5 1/2 cups flour

4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

6 large eggs, at room temperature

Frosting:

2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

9 cups powdered sugar

Decor:

12 large yellow gumdrops

12 large white gumdrops

2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Edible glitter 

One green ice cream cone

Green curling ribbon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour two 10-inch bundt pans.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients, set aside

In a medium bowl stir together the milk, pumpkin, and vanilla until smooth.

In another large bowl beat the butter and oil together with an electric mixer. Next, beat in the sugar. Then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Alternately beat in the milk/pumpkin mixture and the flour mixture until just combined.

Divide the batter equally between the two pans.  Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes, then turn upside down onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For Frosting:

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Mix in vanilla.  Then beat in powdered sugar gradually until the frosting is a spreadable consistency.  Color about 1 cup of the frosting green and the rest orange.

Assemble the Cake:

Trim the bottoms of the cakes so they can lie flat against each other.  Frost the flat surface of the bottom cake and place the other cake on top. Frost the entire cake orange.  When the frosting dries add green frosting leaves and top with an ice cream cone for a stem.  I also added green curling ribbon.

Decorate Cake:

Sprinkle sugar over your work surface and use a rolling pin to flatten 12 large yellow and white gumdrops together into a pancake about 1/4 inch thick. Use a knife to cut out the eyes, nose and mouth. Microwave 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips for about 60 seconds. Dip the left side and bottom of the facial features in the melted chocolate, allow to set.  Dab a small amount of water onto the top surface of each feature, sprinkle the edible glitter on top, then press the facial features onto the cake.  There is a video tutorial here.

Enjoy!