Golden Chocolate Cupcakes

Prep time: 35 minutes (for cake & frosting)
Bake time: 25 to 30 minutes

This recipe is perfect for festive events or casual ones such as pool parties this summer. Your guests will not only be enticed by luscious chocolate cakes and rich frosting, but also by a sprinkling of precious "gold dust". 

Prepare the Cake:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-2/3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened (this can be substituted with 1/2 cup vegetable oil)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1-1/4 cups milk or water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
24 cupcake paper cups
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
Edible Gold Dust (found at professional bakers' supply stores)

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place cupcake paper cups in two cupcake metal pans (12 each).

2. In an 8 to 10-cup mixing bowl, beat together all ingredients (except for frosting and gold dust) with an electric hand mixer. Alternatively, place ingredients in bowl of a stand mixer. 

3. Beat on high speed for about 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the 24 cupcake paper cups in pan.

5. Bake for approximately 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, insert a pointed knife in center of one cupcake to check doneness. If knife comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. If not, bake for an additional 5 minutes and check doneness once more.

6. Remove cupcake pans from oven and set aside on a counter to cool (do not remove hot cupcakes from pans).

7. When cupcakes have cooled completely, prepare the chocolate frosting.

Prepare the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
3 to 4 tablespoons milk

1. Mix powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl with a wooden spoon or electric hand mixer on low speed. 

2. Stir in the vanilla and the chocolate.

3. Gradually beat in a little milk so that the frosting is smooth and spreadable (the frosting should be on the thicker side).

4. Transfer the thick frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. 

5. Squeeze and spread the frosting over each cupcake, in a swirling motion.

6. Top each cupcake with a sprinkling of gold dust.

7. Refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.

Text and Photograph ©2013 Nancy DeLucia Real

Halloween Tombs & Cupcakes

Prep time: 45 minutes for skeleton candies (can be made a week ahead and frozen)
Bake & Decorating time: 45 minutes for loaves & cupcakes (can be made a day ahead)
Makes: 8 tombs & 8 cupcakes

A few weeks ago, I was shopping at an arts and crafts store and noticed candy molds for skeletons and cakes. Making Halloween desserts with such fun decorations is a great art project for kids and adults. You'll have a blast assembling the tombs and decorating the cupcakes. During this graveyard project, you won't be able to resist tasting the candies and cakes. However, be sure to leave a few for your guests!

Ingredients for the Skeleton Candies:
One 14-ounce bag Wilton® White Candy Melts
4 drops green food color
12 drops yellow food color
Pastry bag fitted with a star tip
Skeleton design candy molds

Melt the candies in a double boiler or in a microwave (follow microwave directions on package). Using a wooden spoon, immediately stir food color into melted candy. Set container with melted candy on a counter to cool 5 to 8 minutes. Carefully spoon the melted candy into the bottom of a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.

Squeeze the pastry bag to overfill each skeleton mold - the top of each mold should look like it has a cloud of melted candy over it. Using a long metal spatula, scrape off the extra candy. Set the mold in freezer, about 8 to 10 minutes or until candies have hardened.

Unmold candies onto a flat surface and set aside. Repeat filling the mold, freezing and unmolding the hardened candies until there are enough candy parts to form 8 complete skeletons.

If making ahead, set the skeleton candies in layers with paper towels in between each candy layer - inside a sealable plastic container. Make sure the candies do not touch. Freeze candies until ready to use.

Ingredients for Tombs & Cupcakes:
Five mini loaf pans (5 X 3 X 1-7/8), greased and floured
8 Halloween baking cups, set in a muffin baking pan
One box Devil's Food cake mix (1 lb. 2.25 oz.)
One Wilton® Orange Decorating Icing tube (4.25 oz.)
Decorating Plastic Tips to attach to icing tube
Halloween candies or decorations

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare cake mix per package directions.

Pour a scant 2/3 cup cake batter into each loaf pan and divide remaining batter evenly among 8 baking cups set in a muffin pan.

Set the loaf pans on bottom oven rack. Set the muffin pan on top oven rack. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center of loaves and cupcakes comes out clean. If knife is coated with batter, bake an additional 5 minutes.

Transfer the loaf pans and muffin pan with cupcakes to a counter to cool completely. Unmold the loaves (if making a day ahead, set loaves and cupcakes on a flat plate, covered with aluminum foil wrap and set on a counter).

Decorate the Tombs and Cupcakes:

With loaves right side up, horizontally slice off the rounded tops. Set two of the sliced-off tops in a bowl and crumble - this will be used as edible earth around the loaves or tombs. Arrange candies in each of the 8 tombs to form a complete skeleton and set aside; frost the cupcakes with the icing tube that is fitted with a decorator tip.

Arrange tombs and cupcakes on a large platter with crumbled "earth" around them. Add Halloween candies as part of the decoration.

Happy Halloween!

Note: White Candy Melts, candy molds, pastry bags, decorator tip attachments and Halloween baking cups can be found at party supply and/or arts and crafts stores.

Text and Photographs © Nancy Real 2010