Halloween mummy and skeleton cupcakes

 
Ingredients for chocolate cupcakes:
Unsweetened cocoa pwd ( Hershey's cocoa)- 50 gms -( available in khan market),
Boiling hot water- 240 ml,
All purpose flour or maida-175gms( sieved),
Baking pwd- 2tsp,
Butter - 113 gms,
White powdered sugar- 200 gms,
Vanilla essence- 2 tsp,
Egg- 2.

Topping-
Chocolate fudge frosting,
Butter cream frosting,
Gems,

Marshmallow( white )- 1 large piece( available in khan market).

Method:
Pre heat oven to 375 F or 190 C

Stir together boiling water and cocoa pwd in a bowl or jar till smooth.

Leave it to cool to room temperature.
In another bowl whisk together the flour and baking pwd.

In a bowl of your mixer ,beat the butter ans sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time beating until smooth ( few minutes ).

Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Beat in the vanilla essence.

Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated.

Then add the cocoa mixture and mix gently with a wooden spoon.

 

Transfer to a wire whisk and mix gently till smooth.

Fill each cup 2/3 with the batter and bake for 16 to 20 minutes.

Insert toothpick to  check ,it should come out clean.

Take out from oven and leave it to cool completely on wire rack.

Makes 16 chocolate cupcakes.

Chocolate fudge frosting:
Coarsely chopped chocolate- 120 gms,
Butter - 150 gms ( room temperature),
Icing sugar- 160 gms,
vanilla essence- 1 and 1/2 tsp.
Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water .
As the chocolate melts remove from heat.


In a bowl beat the butter until smooth and creamy ( 1 minute ).
Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy ( 2 minutes ).
Beat in the vanilla essence.
Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated.
Increase the speed to medium high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy( 2 to 3 minutes).
(If soft put in the fridge )

Butter cream frosting:
Icing sugar- 230 gms,
Butter- 100 gms ( room temperature),
Vanilla essence-1/4 tsp.
Milk or light cream - 1 tbsp.

Cream the butter until smooth.

Add the vanilla essence.

With the mixer on low speed gradually beat in the the sugar .
Scrape down the sides and add the milk and beat on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy( 3 to 4 minutes)

Mummy cupcakes.
when the cupcakes are completely cool ,put them in the fridge for half hour.( since the weather is warm ,it helps in decorating the cupcakes with the frosting.
Take a piping bag fitted with a wide flat nozzle size 11 .
Fill the bag with butter cream frosting according to the requirement.
Fill another piping bag with butter cream frosting with size 3 nozzle.
Take out the chocolate cupcakes from the fridge and place them on a tray.
With the nozzle 3 size, make big dots on the cupcake to place the gems for mummy's eyes.
Pipe some cream for the nose.
With the piping bag fitted with nozzle 11 size make long strips covering the top of the eyes and likewise make long strips covering the face.

 Make few horizonal strips too.

Put in the fridge to set.

Skeleton cupcakes:
Take one marshmallow and cut into small square pieces for the skeleton's head.
Since black gel was not available i have used chocolate fudge to make eyes and mouth using nozzle size 1.
To make the skeleton, pipe in the butter cream frosting with nozzle size 3 .
Using a knife coat the cupcake with chocolate fudge frosting.
Stick the marshmallow head on top.
Make eyes and mouth on the marshmallow with chocolate filled nozzle size1.
Using butter cream frosting with nozzle size 3 make skeleton on the cupcakes.
Skeleton cupcakes are ready.
Put them in the fridge or you can enjoy them right away.