Blackcurrant & Liquorice Halloween Spider Cupcakes
This fun cupcake recipe is perfect for Halloween parties! Using the
scary spider as the inspiration these cupcakes are topped with a cute
homemade spider with liquorice legs atop of a yummy blackcurrant
cupcake.
Servings: 8 cupcakes
Equipment
- muffin tin
- 8 dark muffin cases
- piping bag
- large star nozzle
Ingredients
for the cupcakes
- 125 g butter (4oz) softened
- 125 g golden caster sugar (4oz)
- 1 tablespoon blackcurrant jam
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 125 g self-raising flour (4oz)
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoon blackcurrant jam
for the buttercream
- 200 g butter (7oz) softened
- 400 g icing sugar (14oz)
- milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Edible Spiders
- liquorice ‘boot laces’ for the legs (see note b below)
- 8 chocolate discs for the body (see note c below)
- red fondant for the eyes see note d below
Instructions
To make the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 190℃ / Fan 170℃ / 375℉ / Gas Place 8 muffin cases into the muffin tray.
- Beat 125g (4obutter and 125g (4ocaster sugar together until very pale and fluffy. Add 1tbsp jam and beat again to combine.
- Gradually add 2 beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Sieve the flour into the bowl and gently fold in.
- Divide the cake mixture equally between the muffin cases so that they are about half to two-thirds full.Bake in the centre of the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Rotate the tray after 15 minutes to ensure and even rise.
- Remove a small plug of the cake from the centre of each cupcake using a small paring knife or a large metal piping nozzle. Set the sponge plug aside. Use the tines of a fork to gently remove a little more sponge if necessary.
- Spoon 2 tablespoon of jam into a bowl and stir to slacken it then spoon a little into the hollow on each cupcake. Trim away a little of the sponge from the base of the sponge ‘plug’ and replace crust side upper most to cover the jam.
Make the butter cream
- Beat 200g (7obutter until soft and creamy. Sieve 200g (7oof the icing sugar into the bowl. Beat to combine, then sieve in another 200g (7oof icing sugar into the bowl. Beat well to create a creamy frosting. Add the vanilla extract mix until well combined. Add a drizzle of milk if necessary until it is soft enough to pipe.
- Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe a flat swirl of frosting on top of each cake.
To complete
- Cut the liquorice ‘bootlaces’ into about 6cm (2½ ipieces. Position 8 liquorice strips on top of the frosting, 4 on each side so that they dangle down the side of the cupcake a little. The top of the liquorice ‘legs’ will meet in the centre.
- Apply a small amount of buttercream to the underside of the chocolate disc and position on top of the liquorice.
- Roll 16 very small balls of red fondant and press them on the chocolate disc to form eyes (you may need a tiny amount of water to do that).Enjoy!
Notes
Store
Up to a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.Cooks Tips
- For tips on how to prevent curdling and sucessful cupcakread this post.
- If you’re unable to source any liquorice ‘bootlaces,’ you could try ‘Catherine wheels’. Once each strip of liquorice is cut to length for the legs use a pair of scissors or a sharp knife to cut them in half lengthways.
- for the chocolate discs, sandwiched together two large chocolate buttons with a little melted chocolate to create the ‘body’ of our spider Alternatively, use an alternative chocolate disc such as Minstrels