Happy Halloween (and, happy Nevada Day, Nevadans)!
I hope everyone had a fun, spooky-scary weekend. Maybe you dressed up and hit the party circuit, maybe you handed out candy or just ate it by the handful, maybe you just lounged around and watched scary movies (guilty!)…whatever you did, I hope it was fun and festive.
I hope there were sweet treats involved and trickery of the good-natured variety.
Until next year ghoulfiends!
(bahaha, I’m totally cracking up about that one!)
One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3.4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temp.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F. Line 24 cupcake wells (2 tins) with paper liners or grease well.
In a medium bowl sift together all of the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt). Set aside.
In a large measuring cup whisk together buttermilk, water, eggs, oil, and vanilla, to combine. Pour wet mixture into dry and fold until just incorporated. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake in the center of the oven for 16-20 minutes (mine were perfect after 17 minutes). Remove from oven and cool on rack completely before frosting.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting
This frosting is pretty soft. I chilled it and then stirred vigorously before frosting.
1, 8ounce bar cream cheese at room temperature
4 tablespoons room temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Using a mixer beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add pumpkin, vanilla and bourbon and mix to combine. Beat in spices and then gradually add powdered sugar until completely incorporated. Beat on high until light and fluffy. Refrigerate, covered, if not using immediately.
