Try these spooky desserts for Halloween perfect for a cosy little party

Been a fan of frosted Halloween cupcakes and decked-up cookies and brownies for as long as you can remember, if not a while? Try these Halloween baking recipes, from a ghost or a pumpkin cupcake to brownies all frosted and bandaged to resemble a mummy. With these two recipes, you can fulfill your long-standing wish to craft the finest spooky desserts for Halloween for your kids, family, and loved ones.

1.Spooktacular Halloween Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

• 225 ml buttermilk
• 120 gm sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 360 ml strong and hot coffee
• 180 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 360 gm all-purpose flour
• 530 gm granulated sugar
• 65 gm Cadbury cocoa powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

For the Buttercream:

• 250 gm unsalted butter, room temperature
• 450 gm caster sugar
• 45 ml heavy cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• Food coloring: green, orange, and black gel

For the Assembly:

• A mix of Cadbury Gems and big-sized chocolate chips
• 170 gm chocolate, melted

Instructions

1. Set your oven to preheat at 180°C and while it preheats, line a muffin tray with paper liners.
2. Use a sieve to sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda into a big bowl. Add sugar and salt and whisk thoroughly. Ready your stand or handheld electric mixer.
3. In another big bowl, crack the eggs and whisk to break the yolks. Add buttermilk and sour cream and whisk until smooth, then pour in vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Mix and pour the hot coffee, whisking carefully.
4. On low speed, run the mixer, and gradually add the contents of the egg bowl to the flour bowl. Once incorporated, increase to medium and run for 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl’s sides as needed.
5. Fill each cupcake cavity until ⅔ full and tap against a counter to release air bubbles.
6. Place in preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Poke with a toothpick into the center of a cupcake, and if it comes out clean, it’s done.
7. Let the cupcakes cool for five minutes, then demold on wire racks.
8. Beat butter in a bowl for five minutes until light. Add sugar in four to five batches, beating between each addition. Pour in cream and vanilla and whip until light and fluffy, about three to four minutes.
9. Divide the frosting into three portions and add green to one, orange to one and leave the third as is. Fill three piping bags with large round tips. Prepare melted chocolate with black coloring in a small piping bag

• For Pumpkin Cupcake Decor: Start at the cupcake top with orange frosting and pipe upward in curved rings. Add a green stem at the top. Using the black chocolate, pipe face details of a cute or evil pumpkin.
• For Ghost Cupcake Decor: Build a white base in swooping motions of the plain frosting. Add the round mouth and black eyes using the chocolate chips or Cadbury gems.

2.Mummy Brownies

Ingredients

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 225 gm cream cheese, room temperature
• 115 gm unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 115 gm caster sugar

Brownies

• 16 pre-baked brownie pieces
• Candy eyeballs for decoration

Instructions

1. Whip cream cheese using an electric mixer on high for 30 seconds. Then add butter, and beat until completely smooth. Mix in vanilla extract.
2. Add the sugar in parts while mixing and continue beating until silky smooth. Refrigerate the cream cheese frosting for 30 minutes.
3. Choose a sturdy piping bag or clean ziplock bag. If using a ziplock, position with the corner pointing down. Fold the top half over your hand and spoon about 80 ml frosting into the corner. Remove air pockets by twisting the top portion and cutting a small diagonal opening (3mm) at the corner.
4. Start piping from the top left corner (right if left-handed) and apply steady, even pressure while piping. Create a continuous zigzag pattern across the surface and work methodically toward the opposite bottom corner.
5. Create crossing diagonal lines with some gaps that remain visible for the "bandage" effect.
6. Place candy eyes in a natural-looking position and let the frosting set before serving.
7. Store in the fridge to avoid melting until ready to serve.

Note: You can also bake brownies or blondies instead of buying them from the store.