Scarecrow And Spider Cupcakes Recipes

SCARECROW AND SPIDER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 16 regular-size muffin cups, or grease and flour muffin cups.
• Beat Bisquick mix, sugar, milk, shortening, vanilla and egg in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fill muffin cups about half full.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediantly remove from pan; cool completely. Frost and decorate cupcakes as directed below for Scarecrows and Hairy Spiders. Scarecrows: Frost 8 cupcakes with vanilla frosting. Decorate each ice-cream cone with bow made with fruit rolls. Place ice-cream cone upside down on each cupcake for hat. Arrange crushed cereal on cupcakes for hair. Use candy corn for nose, red licorice and small gumdrops for mouth and candy eyes for eyes. Hairy Spiders: Frost 8 cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Squeeze large black gumdrops, one at a time, through garlic press to form hair; arrange on cupcakes. Insert black licorice pieces into cupcakes for legs. Place candy eyes on large black gumdrops for eyes.

HALLOWEEN SPIDER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 18 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, mix flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In medium bowl, mix buttermilk, oil, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and the egg with whisk until blended. Add oil mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• In large bowl, beat butter, 1 cup of the powdered sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar, beating until blended. Frost cupcakes. For each cupcake, place small spider-shaped stencil or template on frosting; sprinkle black sanding sugar over stencil to cover the image. Carefully remove stencil. Place red candy in center of spider.

SPICED SPIDER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
• Combine flour, white sugar, baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in bowl; whisk to mix. In separate bowl, mix water, canola oil, vinegar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Pour liquids into dry mixture and stir until smooth. The batter will be very thin.
• Transfer batter into a measuring cup or pitcher; pour batter into prepared cupcake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven until tops spring back when gently pressed with a fingertip and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Beat cream cheese, butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually mix in confectioners' sugar until frosting is creamy and spreadable. Frost the cooled cupcakes.
• To decorate cupcakes, use black decorating gel to draw a small circle in the center of each cupcake. Draw a larger circle around the first, and continue making larger circles until the last circle is about 1/4 inch from the edge. There should be about 5 rings on each cupcake. Use a toothpick to draw about 8 lines radiating from the center of the cupcake to the edge, like spokes on a wheel, to make webs.
• Cut the licorice strings into pieces about 1 1/4 inch long for legs. Poke four licorice legs into both sides of each gumdrop. Use decorating gel to make eyes and a smiley mouth on each gumdrop. Place a gumdrop spider onto each cupcake in the center of the webs.