adorable bat cupcakes for halloweenWe've seen a lot of spooky, creepy, and downright icky-looking Halloween recipes this year. I don't know about you, but as much as I love the spirit of the season, sometimes I want a goodie that's only "evil" in the amount of calories and fat it has! And that's exactly what these bat cupcakes are. They're incredibly delectable. I mean, they're frosted with homemade orange buttercream frosting. Deeeelish! Oh, and they're adorable to boot. How can you resist?!

Halloween Bat cupcakes from grouprecipes.com

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Buttercream Frosting:

  • 5 cups confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Assorted food colors (to make orange & black frosting)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Line 2 (12 capacity) muffin tins with cupcake papers.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated.
  5. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full.
  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
  7. For frosting place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add a few drops of food coloring if you wish & blend well.
  8. When completely cooled frost the cupcakes & decorate with black and orange sprinkles and candy bats. Enjoy!

 

Image via engenerica/Flickr