Ghouly Cupcakes

From Food Network Kitchens

Rated: 3 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (8)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(8)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
12 cupcakes

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 30 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 1 hr 15 min

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Ingredients

Cupcakes:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup root beer, flat
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

8 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 pinch fine salt
1 teaspoon banana extract, or more to taste
1 to 2 drops pastel food coloring, optional
Candied eyeballs

Directions

Equipment: 12 cup standard muffin tin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray footed cupcake holders with nonstick spray.

Put the butter, root beer, and cocoa in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on HIGH until the butter melts, about 2 minutes. Whisk to combine.

Meanwhile, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla together in a small bowl.

Whisk the hot cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir in the sour cream mixture just to combine; take care not to overmix. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3/4 of the way full, about 1/4 cup per cupcake. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely in the tin on a rack. Remove from liners and return cakes to a rack.

For Frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a mixer's bowl above the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until eggs beat up into a cool stiff meringue, about 5 minutes. Add a few drops of desired extract and/or food coloring and lightly beat into the meringue.

To decorate: Using a spoon, offset spatula or piping bag, dollop, spread or pipe about 1/2 cup meringue on top of each cupcake to make a ghost or monster of your choice. Decorate with candied eyeballs or other candies. These can be finished 2 to 3 hours in advance and held at room temperature.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Ghouly Cupcakes
Jan Phoenix, AZ 11-09-2009
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POPULAR @ THE PARTY!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I used a boxed cake mix for the cupcakes. I followed the frosting recipe, except used vanilla extract instead of the banana... extract for the flavoring. I just dolloped the frosting on with a spoon. Just as the recipe says, about 1/2 cup per cupcake, frosted exactly 24 cupcakes. They were soooo CUTE! The frosting tastes great too, kind-of like a lighter version of marshmallow 'Fluff'. The kids at our neighborhood Halloween party loved them. Spent lots of time on the internet looking for the eyeballs, finally found them at a local bakery supply. A friend suggested using mini chocolate chips, loved that idea, I still went and purchased the eyeballs. Anyone know where to purchase those cute orange legs/feet?!?!Read more
recipe Ghouly Cupcakes
Stefanie Ft Worth, TX 11-01-2009
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Pretty good icing that set up well
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

Icing came out fine for me. I just put it in a plastic bag and cut the tip off to pipe. They came out great, everyone loved... them! Oh and I left out the banana flavoring and just let the sugar take care of the taste. Didn't make the cupcakes from scratch--went with a box to save time! Would definitely make again took about 5 min to make the icing and 10 min or so to frost the cupcakes. Had to buy the eyes online. Looked great!Read more
recipe Ghouly Cupcakes
RACHEL Buffalo, NY 11-01-2009
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adorable idea
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I really love the idea of the decoration of these cupcakes. I made my own favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and just used the... frosting from this recipe - which came out just fine, although with my hand mixer it took more like ten minutes to get to stiff peaks. I couldn't find any ready-made candy eyes other than gumball eyeballs, so I used white chocolate and black decorating icing to make my own, which turned out great. They turned out just as cute as expected, and they tasted good, though not anything special. The meringue frosting is different and light, but also messy and sticky. After sitting for a while, the meringue seems to have set up to be a little firmer.Read more
recipe Ghouly Cupcakes
H Rensselaer, NY 10-28-2009
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Cupcakes are great,..but make new frosting
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

I was excited to make these when I saw them, but they did not turn out how I had planned. The cupcakes look great and taste... good, not better than your average cupcake, but good. However, the meringue frosting was a disaster. I couldn't get it to set up and it was runny and messy. Maybe it was me, because I see that others have had better luck, but I wouldn't make these again...at least not with the recommended topping.Read more
recipe Ghouly Cupcakes
Momoko New York, NY 10-13-2009
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Not that good...not that bad
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

Ok so I thought I'd give these a try....good thing they look good and are really easy easy/quick to make however they just... didn't taste that great. Still I wouldn't say that they were bad just average really.Read more
recipe Ghouly Cupcakes
jessica boca raton, FL 10-11-2009
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So cute
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I haven't made them yet but I am getting ready to bake them so I will re comment when there done but this is the halloween... season so I think there going to come out good. Oh btw a secret to making them faster! By the cake mix box instead n then just make the frosting it's more easier!Read more