Chocolate Hallowe’en Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 TBSP baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 and 1/3 cups sugar (divided)
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
- Set baking cups in muffin trays. (I use reusable silicone ones, which work a treat.)
- Combine flour with cocoa, baking powder and salt.
- In separate bowl, cream butter, then gradually beat in 1 cup of the sugar.
- Add 1 egg and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar to your butter-sugar mix.
- Add remaining eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients together, alternating with milk. (i.e. Add some dry to the wet, mix, add some milk, add some more dry to the wet, add some more milk, repeat…).
- Add vanilla with the last of the milk.
- Divide the batter between the muffin cups.
- Bake at 375 for 15-20+ minutes, or until done.
- Cool completely, and frost with creamy orange icing. If desired, add pumpkin faces with chocolate chips.
Creamy Orange Frosting
Ingredients:
- 4 TBSP softened butter
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 2 TBSP orange juice, mixed with 1 tsp grated orange rind (I use an organic orange, and I squeeze it for the juice.)
Directions:
- Add 1/3 of the icing sugar to the butter.
- Alternate mixing in the remaining icing sugar with the orange juice to this butter-sugar mix.
NB - You can add more icing sugar or more juice as needed to make the icing spreadable.