halloween cupcakes

Because cupcakes are just so darn popular right now, I thought to myself, maybe I should find cupcake ideas for just about everything, and not just for me, but for all of you as well. Unfortunately we still have a week or so until halloween so these are all just ideas, not actually treats made by me. As we near the holidays (especially thanksgiving, because I love it so much, it's a holiday surrounded by food, that's it, not shopping or presents, just cooking and being home, duh I'm gonna love it) I will be showing off my talents as best as I can. For now, I just want to help get everyone's holiday creativity flowing.

{None of these are from me, a few searches on google led me to all these tasty treats and they're from all over. I know credit can be given to Country Living, Sprinkles, Martha Stewart, and Amy Atlas though}

Here's a recipe from country living:

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes or Cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup cocoa
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoons fresh-grated nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (firmly packed) dark brown sugar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs

Prepare cake pans: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter three 8-inch cake pans and fit each bottom with an 8-inch circle of parchment paper. Lightly butter the parchment paper. Set aside.
Make the batter: Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. Combine the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium speed, until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, blending well after each addition.
Bake the cake: Divide the batter among the pans and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean-- about 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pan for 20 minutes. Remove cakes and cool. (For cupcakes: Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in standard cupcake tins and fill each with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake for 22 minutes.)
Assemble the cake: Trim each of the layers. Place one layer on a cake plate and top with one third of the frosting. Repeat with the second and third layers. (To ensure that the cake layers do not shift, cut three skewers to 1/4 inch shorter than the full height of the cake and insert them before icing the top layer.) Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon orange food coloring

Blend the cream cheese, butter, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla in a large bowl, using an electric mixer set at medium speed, until smooth.
Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy -- about 3 more minutes.
Add the food coloring and gently stir until the color is uniform.
Chill the frosting until ready to ice the cupcakes or cake.

Here's the cake, the cupcake option is up a few pictures (with the orange frosting and the orange and black bow tied around it).

Enjoy!!