My not so spooky Halloween Cupcakes

I was a bit hesitant to join this month’s baking challenge as it involved decorating your own Halloween cupcakes. If you know me enough, you will know that I am neither artistic nor spooky at all!!! I had never decorated any cupcakes, well to make things even worse, I even have a problem baking a good cupcake. Ok, I was convinced that nothing should stop me from joining the monthly baking challenge (by whom, I heard you ask, hehe.. I was convinced by myself..ha.. I am a good self motivator hey).

I never celebrate Halloween and have never been the type who enjoys spooky things or horror movies. When it comes to horror movies, my hands will end up watching most of the movie ;-)) or I simply close my eyes when it comes to scary scenes (so what’s the point of watching horror movies.. haha). I am and always have been a wuss. When I was a kid, I was too scared to walk out the house at night because the moon was stalking me ;-)) Now, I am an adult, although I don’t mind to walk at night and neither will I think the moon is stalking me, but I am still a wuss when it comes to spooky and horror stuff. Well, since Halloween is this month’s theme, I am guessing I will just have to do something spooky (what about me in a sexy witch outfit ;-)) agree? ).

I got myself a book from the library about cake decoration and started planning my “spooky” Halloween cupcakes. Well, I tried hard to make my cupcakes as spooky as possible, but … someone as sweet and cute as me, it is actually quite hard to make spooky cupcakes ;-)) My cupcakes turned out very cute.. haha.. They are adorable, I had fun making them. Loved the cupcakes themselves, they were so moist and aromatic. Steve was totally blown away by …. Hmmm.. not sure it was by my sexy witch outfit idea or the cupcakes.. LOL.

Note : They are supposed to be creepy spider cupcakes, but somehow I forgot that spiders should have 8 legs.. well forgive me for my not so creepy spider cupcakes. And no, they are NOT ladybirds.

This is my entry for this month baking challenge – Halloween Cupcakes held by Sweet and Simple Bake

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

175g (6 oz / 1 &1/3 cups) self-raising flour

175g (6 oz /1 &1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

175g (6 oz / 1 cup) of caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 - 4 tbsp milk

Icing/frosting of your choice – go wild and make a statement

Decorations of your choice – the spookier the better :)

You will need a 12 hole-muffin tin and 12 cupcake paper cases

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

Line a 12 hole-muffin tin with cupcake paper cases.

Sieve the flour into a bowl and leave aside. In a large mixing bowl add the butter and sugar and beat until the mixture becomes light in colour and fluffy.

Add one egg at a time beating well between each addition.

Beat in the vanilla extract and then gently fold in the flour until combined.

Stir in the milk until you have a good dropping consistency.

Spoon the mixture equally into the prepared muffin tin and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for 20 -25 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.

Rosie’s notes: 1. Fill the cupcake paper cases no more than two-thirds full for the cupcakes to rise. 2. If the tops dome a little when completely cool, take a segregated knife and slice the domed tops off and discard, this enables flat tops for icing and decorations. 3. I have also measured my ingredients that I weighed out into cup measures as requested but please note if using, I cannot guarantee how accurate these measures are in cups. 4. If using plain flour because you cannot acquire self-raising flour add 1½ tsp of baking powder to the plain flour.