Bat Cupcakes

Here is a cute dessert to make for your Nanny Kid’s Halloween party. My Mom Boss actually made these adorable Bat Cupcakes made with Oreo cookies for their Halloween party.

You Will Need:

CUPCAKE:

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup hot milk or boiling water (the milk will give this a really rich texture)
⅓ cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder or regular instant is fine too
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into small cubes
⅔ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 x-large eggs

DARK CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM:

1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks (softened)
⅔ cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
2½ cups icing sugar
1 tbls pure vanilla extract
¼ cup + 2 T. milk, almond, soy or water (room temperature)

BAT DECORATION:

12 Oreo Cookies
1 Tube of White Icing
Candy Eyes

What to Do:

CUPCAKES:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line a 12 cup muffin tin or spray a non-stick one very well.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Set aside.

4. In another bowl whisk hot milk or boiling water, cocoa powder and espresso powder together until dissolved. Set aside.

5. Beat butter and sugar until well combined.

6. Add vanilla and egg to the butter/sugar mix and continue to beat until well combined and slightly creamy.

7. Add the flour mix to the butter mix and beat until well combined (Here’s trick for this treat, quickly mix in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon or spatula first, then continue to beat with the stand mixer. That way you don’t have the entire mixture explode all over your counter.

8. Add the chocolate/water mix and continue to beat until well combined.

9. Distribute the batter among muffin tins.

10. Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

BUTTERCREAM ICING:

1. In a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

2. While the butter is mixing, sift together the powder sugar and cocoa powder.

3. Once the butter is light and fluffy, add the sifted cocoa and sugar with vanilla extract, then with 2-3 tbls of milk at a time.

4. Check for consistency and if needed add in the additional 2 tbls of milk. You want a nice spreadable icing, not too stiff or loose.

5. Place in piping bag if desired and decorate cooled cupcakes.

BAT DECORATIONS:

To assemble:

1. Twist open Oreo cookies and scrape out the white filling.

2. Cut or break each cookie in half, these are your two wings (each cookie will give you 4 wings.

3. Stick two wings onto each cupcake.

4. Stick the candy eyes in frosting of the cupcake.