Even More Halloween Desserts
Okay, we're in the home stretch: It's Monday, and Halloween is Friday. So, what else would I post but Even More Halloween Desserts? I know, right? Today's offerings include Spooky Ghost Cupcakes, Harvest Corn Custards, and four other yummy Halloween desserts. Enjoy!
BLACK COCOA GHOST CUPCAKES
This yumminess is from Emily Weinberger at the Food Network. For this recipe, Emily wrote, "These charming ghost cupcakes are decorated with the social media-famous flat frosting method, a technique that produces a smooth, expert-looking finish that’s super easy once you learn the secret. We start with rich chocolate cupcakes that get their spooky black-as-night color from black cocoa powder, then pipe a simple ghost shape on top with homemade vanilla buttercream. Gently flipping the cupcakes over and letting them chill creates a flat, even surface for decorating. When turned right-side up, just add eyes and a mouth to turn each into a classic Halloween ghost."
Active Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cupcakes; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/black-cocoa-ghost-cupcakes-19381093.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened black cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
3/4 cup boiling water
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
Frosting:
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Black sanding sugar, for decorating
Black gel icing, for decorating
Directions
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray the liners and the top of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Combine the semisweet chocolate and instant coffee in another medium bowl, then pour the boiling water over top and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add the sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
Beat the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just incorporated; the batter should look like hot fudge.
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed. Add the milk and beat until smooth. Transfer 3/4 cup of the frosting to a piping bag.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the black sanding sugar onto a plate. Spread the frosting from the bowl evenly over the tops of the cupcakes. Flip the cupcakes upside down into the sanding sugar so that the frosting is completely covered with the sanding sugar. Working with one cupcake at a time pipe a lima bean-shaped dollop of frosting into the center of the cupcake then flip upside down onto the prepared pan and gently press to flatten the frosting. Leave the cupcake upside down on the pan. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and refrigerate them upside down until the frosting is hardened, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Carefully peel the cupcakes off the parchment and turn them right-side up. Pipe eyes and a mouth onto each ghost with black gel icing and serve.
SPOOKY GHOST CUPCAKES
This is from The Baker Chick. It makes 20 cupcakes, anc can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seven Minute Frosting:
3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
mini & regular chocolate chips for the face!
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake tins with liners, set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Make a small well in the middle of the bowl and add the buttermilk, oil, eggs, water and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients together and then incorporate the dry until smooth and lump-free.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake for 20-23 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool while you make the frosting.
Place egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. In a small saucepan with a candy thermometer attached, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water.
On medium-high heat cook the sugar mixture until boiling. At that point- turn the mixer on medium high speed to get the egg whites to soft peaks. When the sugar mixture has reached 230 degrees F, slowly pour it down the side of the bowl in a steady stream while the mixture continues to run.
Beat on medium-high for about 7 minutes or until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and stiff glossy peaks have formed. Add the vanilla right before you finish beating the frosting.
Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes right away (it gets a bit firm otherwise.) and decorate with the chocolate chips!
Notes:
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
BLACK MAGIC CAKE
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “This deep, dark chocolate cake is the perfect canvas for a spooky holiday dessert. Top it with a spider web or a mummy made from melted and stretched marshmallows.” Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Inactive: 2 hours 15 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/black-magic-cake.html?oc=linkback.
Ingredients
Cake:
2/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the baking pans
1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
2 cups granulated sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Filling and Frosting:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch fine salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
Spider Web or Mummy Decoration:
2 cups mini marshmallows (about 4 ounces)
Cooking spray
Candy spider or candy eyes, for decorating
Directions
Special equipment: two 9-inch round cake pans
For the cake: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment, and grease the parchment and the sides of the pans with oil.
Stir together the cocoa powder and boiling water, and let sit to bloom for 5 minutes (this step intensifies the chocolate flavor in the cake).
Whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the bloomed cocoa, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour the cocoa mixture into the sugar mixture, and stir until smooth (the batter will be thin). Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the cakes bounce back when pressed in the middle and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pans on a rack.
For the filling and frosting: Heat the cream in a double boiler over low heat, whisking occasionally, until it begins to steam. Whisk in the cocoa powder, chocolate, espresso powder, vanilla and salt until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter until melted. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated. Let the frosting cool completely.
To assemble: Put 1 cake, bottom-side up, on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread about 1 cup of the frosting over the top but not all the way down the side. Top with the other cake, bottom-side up, and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
For the spider web or mummy decoration: Microwave the marshmallows in a microwave-safe medium bowl until they start to grow in size and are soft enough to stir, about 1 minute. Let sit a few minutes until cool enough to touch. Spray your hands with cooking spray. For a spider web, pick up a tablespoon-sized blob of the melted marshmallow and stretch it over and around the cake; repeat so that the strings of marshmallow crisscross one another in many directions, and continue until you have what looks like a spider web. For a mummy, stretch the marshmallow so that all the strings on the top of the cake run in the same direction, leaving a small gap between strings for the mummy's eyes to peek out. Garnish with a candy spider or candy eyes.
Cook's Note: When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
PUMPKIN SPICE WHOOPIE PIES
From Food.com. Prep time: 30 minutes, total time: 45 minutes, Yield: 12-18 sandwiched cookies
The person who wrote this for Food.com wrote, "Whoopie Pies are big sandwiched cookie. These are a hit with kids and adults alike. I prefer mine frozen!"
Ingredients
Cookies
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 package spice cake mix (2 layer size)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Marshmallow Spice filling
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) packages softened cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
3-1/2 ounces marshmallow cream (half of a 7 oz jar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Cookies:
Beat pumpkin and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add cake mix, eggs and milk and beat on low speed until combined, then on medium speed for one minute.
Cover cookie sheets with parchment or oiled foil.
Drop large mounds of dough 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Filling:
Beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla and cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until well combined. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until cookies are ready to be filled.
When cookies are cool, spoon filling on bottom of cookies and sandwich together.
Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 1 (1549 g); Servings Per Recipe: 1; Amount Per Serving % Daily Value: Calories 477.2; Calories from Fat 250 52%; Amount Per Serving % Daily Value: Total Fat 27.7g 42%; Saturated Fat 15.0g 75%; Cholesterol 93.9mg 31%; Sugars 40.2 g; Sodium 444.8mg 18%; Total Carbohydrate 54.1g 18%; Dietary Fiber 0.7g 2%; Sugars 40.2 g 161%; Protein 4.3g 8%
HARVEST CORN CUSTARDS
This decadent dessert is sure to be a hit. It comes from the October 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36, and begins, "Layers of colorful custard and snowy whipped cream mimic the look of candy corn in this dessert." Serves 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups low-fat milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. honey
Orange or red and yellow food coloring, such as Wilton or Seelect
1 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate or 3 Tbs. chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream
Ground nutmeg, for sprinkling
Directions
Whisk together eggs and sugar in heat-proof bowl until smooth and light-colored. Whisk in flour and salt.
Bring milk to a boil in saucepan. Whisk 1/4 cup boiling milk into egg mixture. Whisk in 1/2 cup milk, then gradually whisk in remaining milk. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook 2 minutes over medium heat, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla.
Scoop 1 cup custard into bowl, and whisk in honey. Add food coloring to achieve bright-orange color.
Transfer remaining custard to separate bowl, and whisk in chocolate until melted. Cover both custards with plastic wrap pressed directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming. Cool.
Once cooled, whisk both custards until smooth.
Beat whipping cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/2 cup whipped cream into chocolate custard.
Spoon 2-1/2 Tbs. honey custard into 6 small glasses, pressing down to remove any air pockets. Layer 1/4 cup chocolate custard atop honey custard in each glass, and smooth with spoon. Top each serving with 3 Tbs. whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 304; Protein: 7 g;Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 121 mg; Sodium: 124 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g;Sugar: 21 g
RED VELVET VAMPIRE CUPCAKES
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “No, these cupcakes don't need bandages. What looks like a gory encounter with the Count himself is just raspberry jam brightened with a drop of red food coloring. And if you dare sink your own teeth into them, you'll find that more raspberry jam and chocolate await in the center.”
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Active: 1 hour; Yield: 12 cupcakes; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
1-3/4 cups cake flour (see Cook's Note)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red food coloring, plus a drop for the filling
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
One 3-ounce semisweet chocolate bar
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 cup raspberry jam
Cream Cheese Frosting:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Special equipment: a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and a plastic straw
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Sift the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, sour cream, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and egg in another large bowl.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
Microwave the chocolate and coconut oil together in a small microwave-safe bowl until mostly melted, about 1 minute. Stir, then microwave again until completely smooth, about 15 seconds more.
Use a small sharp knife to cut out and remove a plug from the middle of each cupcake, making sure not to go all the way to the bottom and leaving a 1/4-inch border around the side (eat the plugs). Brush the holes with the melted chocolate and place in the freezer until the chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes.
Whisk together the jam, 1 drop of red food coloring and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until completely smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the jam into each of the chocolate holes; set aside.
For the cream cheese frosting: Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe on top of the cupcakes so the jam is covered.
Poke 2 holes into the frosting on each cupcake using the end of a plastic straw to resemble vampire bites, making sure you hit the cupcake and not the jam-filled hole. Drizzle the remaining jam into the holes to resemble blood.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
BLACK COCOA GHOST CUPCAKES
This yumminess is from Emily Weinberger at the Food Network. For this recipe, Emily wrote, "These charming ghost cupcakes are decorated with the social media-famous flat frosting method, a technique that produces a smooth, expert-looking finish that’s super easy once you learn the secret. We start with rich chocolate cupcakes that get their spooky black-as-night color from black cocoa powder, then pipe a simple ghost shape on top with homemade vanilla buttercream. Gently flipping the cupcakes over and letting them chill creates a flat, even surface for decorating. When turned right-side up, just add eyes and a mouth to turn each into a classic Halloween ghost."
Active Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cupcakes; Level: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/black-cocoa-ghost-cupcakes-19381093.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened black cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
3/4 cup boiling water
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
Frosting:
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Black sanding sugar, for decorating
Black gel icing, for decorating
Directions
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray the liners and the top of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Combine the semisweet chocolate and instant coffee in another medium bowl, then pour the boiling water over top and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add the sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla and whisk until smooth.
Beat the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until just incorporated; the batter should look like hot fudge.
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed. Add the milk and beat until smooth. Transfer 3/4 cup of the frosting to a piping bag.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the black sanding sugar onto a plate. Spread the frosting from the bowl evenly over the tops of the cupcakes. Flip the cupcakes upside down into the sanding sugar so that the frosting is completely covered with the sanding sugar. Working with one cupcake at a time pipe a lima bean-shaped dollop of frosting into the center of the cupcake then flip upside down onto the prepared pan and gently press to flatten the frosting. Leave the cupcake upside down on the pan. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and refrigerate them upside down until the frosting is hardened, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Carefully peel the cupcakes off the parchment and turn them right-side up. Pipe eyes and a mouth onto each ghost with black gel icing and serve.
SPOOKY GHOST CUPCAKES
This is from The Baker Chick. It makes 20 cupcakes, anc can be viewed online here.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seven Minute Frosting:
3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
mini & regular chocolate chips for the face!
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake tins with liners, set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Make a small well in the middle of the bowl and add the buttermilk, oil, eggs, water and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients together and then incorporate the dry until smooth and lump-free.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake for 20-23 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool while you make the frosting.
Place egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. In a small saucepan with a candy thermometer attached, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water.
On medium-high heat cook the sugar mixture until boiling. At that point- turn the mixer on medium high speed to get the egg whites to soft peaks. When the sugar mixture has reached 230 degrees F, slowly pour it down the side of the bowl in a steady stream while the mixture continues to run.
Beat on medium-high for about 7 minutes or until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and stiff glossy peaks have formed. Add the vanilla right before you finish beating the frosting.
Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes right away (it gets a bit firm otherwise.) and decorate with the chocolate chips!
Notes:
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
BLACK MAGIC CAKE
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “This deep, dark chocolate cake is the perfect canvas for a spooky holiday dessert. Top it with a spider web or a mummy made from melted and stretched marshmallows.” Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes; Prep Time: 30 minutes; Inactive: 2 hours 15 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Level: Easy.
Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/black-magic-cake.html?oc=linkback.
Ingredients
Cake:
2/3 cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the baking pans
1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
2 cups granulated sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Filling and Frosting:
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch fine salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
Spider Web or Mummy Decoration:
2 cups mini marshmallows (about 4 ounces)
Cooking spray
Candy spider or candy eyes, for decorating
Directions
Special equipment: two 9-inch round cake pans
For the cake: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment, and grease the parchment and the sides of the pans with oil.
Stir together the cocoa powder and boiling water, and let sit to bloom for 5 minutes (this step intensifies the chocolate flavor in the cake).
Whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the bloomed cocoa, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour the cocoa mixture into the sugar mixture, and stir until smooth (the batter will be thin). Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the cakes bounce back when pressed in the middle and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pans on a rack.
For the filling and frosting: Heat the cream in a double boiler over low heat, whisking occasionally, until it begins to steam. Whisk in the cocoa powder, chocolate, espresso powder, vanilla and salt until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter until melted. Whisk in the confectioners' sugar until incorporated. Let the frosting cool completely.
To assemble: Put 1 cake, bottom-side up, on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread about 1 cup of the frosting over the top but not all the way down the side. Top with the other cake, bottom-side up, and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
For the spider web or mummy decoration: Microwave the marshmallows in a microwave-safe medium bowl until they start to grow in size and are soft enough to stir, about 1 minute. Let sit a few minutes until cool enough to touch. Spray your hands with cooking spray. For a spider web, pick up a tablespoon-sized blob of the melted marshmallow and stretch it over and around the cake; repeat so that the strings of marshmallow crisscross one another in many directions, and continue until you have what looks like a spider web. For a mummy, stretch the marshmallow so that all the strings on the top of the cake run in the same direction, leaving a small gap between strings for the mummy's eyes to peek out. Garnish with a candy spider or candy eyes.
Cook's Note: When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
PUMPKIN SPICE WHOOPIE PIES
From Food.com. Prep time: 30 minutes, total time: 45 minutes, Yield: 12-18 sandwiched cookies
The person who wrote this for Food.com wrote, "Whoopie Pies are big sandwiched cookie. These are a hit with kids and adults alike. I prefer mine frozen!"
Ingredients
Cookies
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 package spice cake mix (2 layer size)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Marshmallow Spice filling
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) packages softened cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
3-1/2 ounces marshmallow cream (half of a 7 oz jar)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions
Cookies:
Beat pumpkin and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add cake mix, eggs and milk and beat on low speed until combined, then on medium speed for one minute.
Cover cookie sheets with parchment or oiled foil.
Drop large mounds of dough 3 inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Filling:
Beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, vanilla and cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until well combined. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until cookies are ready to be filled.
When cookies are cool, spoon filling on bottom of cookies and sandwich together.
Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 1 (1549 g); Servings Per Recipe: 1; Amount Per Serving % Daily Value: Calories 477.2; Calories from Fat 250 52%; Amount Per Serving % Daily Value: Total Fat 27.7g 42%; Saturated Fat 15.0g 75%; Cholesterol 93.9mg 31%; Sugars 40.2 g; Sodium 444.8mg 18%; Total Carbohydrate 54.1g 18%; Dietary Fiber 0.7g 2%; Sugars 40.2 g 161%; Protein 4.3g 8%
HARVEST CORN CUSTARDS
This decadent dessert is sure to be a hit. It comes from the October 2011 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 36, and begins, "Layers of colorful custard and snowy whipped cream mimic the look of candy corn in this dessert." Serves 6
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups low-fat milk
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. honey
Orange or red and yellow food coloring, such as Wilton or Seelect
1 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate or 3 Tbs. chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream
Ground nutmeg, for sprinkling
Directions
Whisk together eggs and sugar in heat-proof bowl until smooth and light-colored. Whisk in flour and salt.
Bring milk to a boil in saucepan. Whisk 1/4 cup boiling milk into egg mixture. Whisk in 1/2 cup milk, then gradually whisk in remaining milk. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook 2 minutes over medium heat, or until thickened, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla.
Scoop 1 cup custard into bowl, and whisk in honey. Add food coloring to achieve bright-orange color.
Transfer remaining custard to separate bowl, and whisk in chocolate until melted. Cover both custards with plastic wrap pressed directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming. Cool.
Once cooled, whisk both custards until smooth.
Beat whipping cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/2 cup whipped cream into chocolate custard.
Spoon 2-1/2 Tbs. honey custard into 6 small glasses, pressing down to remove any air pockets. Layer 1/4 cup chocolate custard atop honey custard in each glass, and smooth with spoon. Top each serving with 3 Tbs. whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg.
nutritional information Per Serving: Calories: 304; Protein: 7 g;Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 121 mg; Sodium: 124 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g;Sugar: 21 g
RED VELVET VAMPIRE CUPCAKES
This is from The Food Network, and begins, “No, these cupcakes don't need bandages. What looks like a gory encounter with the Count himself is just raspberry jam brightened with a drop of red food coloring. And if you dare sink your own teeth into them, you'll find that more raspberry jam and chocolate await in the center.”
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Active: 1 hour; Yield: 12 cupcakes; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
1-3/4 cups cake flour (see Cook's Note)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red food coloring, plus a drop for the filling
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
One 3-ounce semisweet chocolate bar
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 cup raspberry jam
Cream Cheese Frosting:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Special equipment: a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip and a plastic straw
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Sift the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, sour cream, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and egg in another large bowl.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.
Microwave the chocolate and coconut oil together in a small microwave-safe bowl until mostly melted, about 1 minute. Stir, then microwave again until completely smooth, about 15 seconds more.
Use a small sharp knife to cut out and remove a plug from the middle of each cupcake, making sure not to go all the way to the bottom and leaving a 1/4-inch border around the side (eat the plugs). Brush the holes with the melted chocolate and place in the freezer until the chocolate hardens, about 15 minutes.
Whisk together the jam, 1 drop of red food coloring and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until completely smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the jam into each of the chocolate holes; set aside.
For the cream cheese frosting: Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the butter until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe on top of the cupcakes so the jam is covered.
Poke 2 holes into the frosting on each cupcake using the end of a plastic straw to resemble vampire bites, making sure you hit the cupcake and not the jam-filled hole. Drizzle the remaining jam into the holes to resemble blood.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
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