Mummy Cupcakes

1/3 cup (35 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (regular unsweetened or Dutch-processed), sifted

Mummy Cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter, or line 12 muffin cups with white cupcake liners.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract.

In another large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With a rubber spatula fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are combined. (Do not over mix the batter or the cupcakes will be tough.)

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter, using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake about 18 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake just comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, place the frosting in a piping bag, fitted with a Wilton #47 or #48 basket weave tip, and pipe lines back and forth on the top of each cupcake. Place two candy eyes on each cupcake.

Frosting: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff or creme, if using. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add about 1 tablespoon of the cream and beat to combine. Then, on high speed, beat frosting until it is light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add more cream or confectioners sugar if necessary to get the right piping consistency.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Halloween gives us a good reason to have some fun with our baking. I like how you can turn an ordinary chocolate cupcake into a cute, not so scary, Mummy Cupcake. You do this by simply piping white frosting in uneven lines on the top of each cupcake and then decorating with two candy eyes. The kids will love these at their next Halloween party, and so will the adults.

The chocolate cupcake batter is an easy 'dump and stir' batter that gives you a cupcake with a mild chocolate flavor and a moist texture. Buttermilk is used in the batter. If you can't find buttermilk you can make a good substitute. Stir 3/4 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into 3/4 cup (180 grams) milk. Let this mixture stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes and it's ready to use. The white icing is a delicious Confectioners Frosting that contains some Marshmallow Fluff or Creme. This produces a wonderfully soft and flavorful frosting. Now, Marshmallow Creme or Fluff is a thick, soft and fluffy, very sweet marshmallow flavored mixture that is made from corn syrup, sugar syrup, dried egg whites, and vanillin. It can be found in most grocery stores and is sold in either jars or tubs. However if you can't find it, you can simply leave it out.

To pipe the white frosting I have used a basketweave tip (Wilton #48). Just pipe the frosting in lines, back and forth, across the top of each cupcake. For the eyes you can use candy eyes, or candy dots (buttons), or mini chocolate chips, or you can even color your frosting and just pipe two dots for eyes.

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