Halloween Terrifying Cupcakes

Serves: 10

Prep. time: 00:40

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (185g) plain flour
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup (80ml) sunflower oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Black ready-made icing
• Silver cachous (optional), to decorate

Orange icing

• 480g icing sugar, sifted
• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
• A few drops of orange food colouring

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line 10 holes of a muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl.
3. Whisk buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla in a separate bowl. Use a spatula to fold into dry ingredients until well combined.
4. Spoon batter into muffin cases. Bake for 25 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool slightly, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, for the icing, beat the sugar, butter and milk in a processor or electric mixer until soft. Add the food colouring a few drops at a time until you reach the desired colour.
6. Roll out black icing on a sheet of baking paper and use a small cutter to make decorative shapes (we used a cat, and pressed in cachous to make eyes).
7. Spread orange icing over cakes, then decorate with icing shapes.