69: Scary Mummy Cupcakes

Presenting my army of scary Mummies!
Made some scary mummy cupcakes as a Halloween preview. Made a spice cupcake glazed them with chocolate icing and then applied the white basket weave icing....

For the spice cupcake,

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. In a larger bowl, beat the butter until it’s pale and creamy. Pour in the sugar and continue to beat for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir the vanilla into the milk. Add about one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir it in until it’s combined. Add about half the milk in the same manner, then another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and the rest of the flour, mixing just until the batter is blended. Line the cupcake pan and fill in the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 18 cupcakes. Remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool.

For chocolate glaze icing,

2/3 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp light corn syrup

Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture, and stir until smooth. Use immediately. Hold the cupcake bottoms and dip  them gently into the glaze so that the top is completely coated with the glaze.

For the white buttercream icing,

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners' (icing) sugar, sifted
3-5 Tbsp milk (depending on consistency of icing)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons of the milk, and the vanilla extract. Blend until the sugar is incorporated. Continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add up to 1 Tbsp more milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

Decorate cupcake as desired.

Ready to be devoured!

56: Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Mint chocolate chip cupcakes to cure some Sunday evening blues.....

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Add the chocolate chips and mix.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.

Peppermint cream cheese icing

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 pound (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla & peppermint extract; mix until smooth.

Have a great start to the week y'all....