10/19/2009
Chocolate Spider Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
2 cups sifted flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
11 T butter, softened
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk
Icing:
6 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 whipping cream
1 T sugar
1 1/2 T butter
Spiders:
2 cups chocolate chips
1 t vegetable oil
Webs:
3 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
1 t vegetable oil
>HOW TO MAKE<
Cupcakes:
*Spray 16 cupcake wells with cooking spray or line with paper cups and set aside.
*Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa; set aside.
*Cream the butter with an electric mixer; add the vanilla and sugar and beat to mix.
*Add the eggs, one at a time.
*One the lowest speed, alternately add the day ingredients in 3 additions with the milk in 2 additions.
*Beat just until smooth.
*Spoon into the prepared pans.
*Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 25 minutes.
*Cool a few minutes in the pans.
*If the cupcakes have been baked without paper cups, run a knife around the edges and invert onto a rack.
*Cool completely.
Icing:
*Put the chocolate, cream, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan.
*Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is partially melted.
*Remove from the heat and stir until completely melted.
*Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
*Hold a cupcake upside down and dip the top into the icing.
*Twirl the cake slightly and set aside.
*Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and icing. Refrigerate.
Spiders:
*Place the chocolate chips and oil in the top of a double boiler set over hot water.
*When the chips have almost melted, remove from the heat and stir until completely melted.
*Cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*Spoon the melted chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8" tip.
(Or use a zip-top plastic bag and snip off a corner.)
*On a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper, start piping out spiders about 2" apart.
*Refrigerate 20 minutes.
*Peel the spiders from the paper; keep refrigerated.
Webs:
*In a double boiler set over medium-low heat, melt the white chocolate and oil together.
*Remove from the heat and cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*Spoon the chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8" tip.
*In the center of a cupcake, make a small dot of the chocolate; from the center pipe out 7 lines, evenly spaced, to the outer edge.
*Pipe out 4 circles, evenly spaced, over the lines.
*The cupcakes can be made 24 hours in advance.
*Hold in refrigerator in tins or loosely covered.
*Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.
*Place a couple of the spiders on top of each cupcake just before serving.
-serves 16-
Note: This recipe comes from "Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts"
Cupcakes:
2 cups sifted flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
11 T butter, softened
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk
Icing:
6 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 whipping cream
1 T sugar
1 1/2 T butter
Spiders:
2 cups chocolate chips
1 t vegetable oil
Webs:
3 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
1 t vegetable oil
>HOW TO MAKE<
Cupcakes:
*Spray 16 cupcake wells with cooking spray or line with paper cups and set aside.
*Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa; set aside.
*Cream the butter with an electric mixer; add the vanilla and sugar and beat to mix.
*Add the eggs, one at a time.
*One the lowest speed, alternately add the day ingredients in 3 additions with the milk in 2 additions.
*Beat just until smooth.
*Spoon into the prepared pans.
*Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 25 minutes.
*Cool a few minutes in the pans.
*If the cupcakes have been baked without paper cups, run a knife around the edges and invert onto a rack.
*Cool completely.
Icing:
*Put the chocolate, cream, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan.
*Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is partially melted.
*Remove from the heat and stir until completely melted.
*Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
*Hold a cupcake upside down and dip the top into the icing.
*Twirl the cake slightly and set aside.
*Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and icing. Refrigerate.
Spiders:
*Place the chocolate chips and oil in the top of a double boiler set over hot water.
*When the chips have almost melted, remove from the heat and stir until completely melted.
*Cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*Spoon the melted chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8" tip.
(Or use a zip-top plastic bag and snip off a corner.)
*On a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper, start piping out spiders about 2" apart.
*Refrigerate 20 minutes.
*Peel the spiders from the paper; keep refrigerated.
Webs:
*In a double boiler set over medium-low heat, melt the white chocolate and oil together.
*Remove from the heat and cool 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
*Spoon the chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8" tip.
*In the center of a cupcake, make a small dot of the chocolate; from the center pipe out 7 lines, evenly spaced, to the outer edge.
*Pipe out 4 circles, evenly spaced, over the lines.
*The cupcakes can be made 24 hours in advance.
*Hold in refrigerator in tins or loosely covered.
*Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before serving.
*Place a couple of the spiders on top of each cupcake just before serving.
-serves 16-
Note: This recipe comes from "Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts"
Labels: chocolate cupcake recipe, cupcake recipe, Halloween cupcake recipe, spider cupcake recipe
