SPIDERS!

As promised yesterday...here are the spider cupcakes that the children will be taking to school tomorrow. There are 3 kinds of cupcakes, Vanilla with Vanilla frosting, Chocolate cupcakes with Vanilla frosting, and Marble cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting. Now all snacks are ready for Halloween parties tomorrow. They did require a trip to Wal-Mart to pick up a cupcake carrier.






Vanilla Cupcakes
www.joyofbaking.com

Vanilla Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 large lemon (optional)

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Buttercream Frosting:

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk or light cream

Assorted food colors (if desired)
Vanilla Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

For the Cupcakes: Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract
and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake
comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.

Makes about 12 cupcakes


CHOCOLATE Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup milk



DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.

Makes 16 cupcakes

MARBLE cupcakes
www.bakingbites.com
Marble Cupcakes
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-oz semisweet or dark chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease line 10 cups from a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cups liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Pour in dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Remove 1 cup of the batter to a small bowl and stir in melted chocolate.
Add about 1/2 tsp food coloring to each bowl to make red, orange, yellow, green and blue batters. Stir well, so no streaks of plain batter remain. Add additional food coloring if necessary.
Evenly distribute batters into prepared pans, adding a spoonful of vanilla, followed buy a spoonful of chocolate, followed by a little more vanilla. Gently run a knife through the batter to give them a swirl.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes on a wire rack before frosting.

Makes 10

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 stick unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon Milk (I use an extra 1 to 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
Mix together adding powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
1 stick unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate melted
Mix the first 3 ingredients together then add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Once it is mixed together well, add chocolate and mix until the chocolate is incorporated. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.

GREEN SPIDERS
*Wilton candy melts of your color choice.

I melted the candy melts in my pampered chef micro-cooker...I love that thing! Once melted, I put it into a Ziploc bag and snipped off a tiny piece of the corner....they harden again so work quickly. Make a big circle for the body and a little circle for the head. Then pipe out the 8 legs. They will be hard in 5 minutes and ready to do with them what you please.