Ghostly Cupcake Toppers: 2 Ways

Halloween is quickly approaching and soon there will be all kinds of sweets that could use some spooky touches to get in the spirit. Here are 2 ways to make easy cupcake toppers and add a little Halloween spirit to a party!

Topper number one:

For this cupcake topper you will need:

Toothpicks
paper or cardstock of your choice
scissors
pencil
non toxic glue
glow in the dark paint (optional)
small paint brush (optional)
ghost pattern (you can also draw ghosts free hand)

Start by drawing or tracing your ghost shapes onto your paper or cardstock. You will need 2 cutouts for each cupcake topper (a front and a back). Cut out all of your shapes and then sandwich your front and back pieces around a toothpick, glue together and allow to dry completely. If you like, add a spooky face with glow in the dark acrylic paint (you could also cut out the eye and mouth shapes with a mat knife or hole punch). Add these little guys to cakes, cupcakes, etc. for a little extra spooky decoration.

Topper number two:

For this topper you will need:

one package of small suckers (I used Dum Dums)
small squares of tissue paper (I used white, silver and gold)
scissors
string

Cut out squares of tissue paper to layer together for your ghosts. I like using the silver and gold as an underlay for white, but you can use any color you like. Place the sucker in the center of your tissue paper squares and tie them around your suckers with string. The sucker will be the ghosts head, and the stick can be placed directly into your cupcakes. You can add faces if you like, but they look cute without them as well. Not making any kind of cakes? This is a great way to dress up your Halloween candy to make it a little more festive for the Trick-or-Treaters.

How do you like to dress up your Halloween treats?

If spooky snacks aren't your thing, you can also check out this fast and easy tutorial for gravestone garden markers, and don't forget to follow The Craftinomicon on your favorite social media sites so you don't miss any upcoming projects.

Chocolate Cupcakes

As promised, here are the cupcakes I made for the beloved husband's birthday this year. They were super yum!


To make some for the special people in your life you will need:

* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 cups sugar
* 3/4 cups good cocoa powder
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 cup buttermilk, shaken (if you don't have buttermilk, you can pour 2 tablespoons of vinegar into a liquid cup measure and fill it the rest of the way with milk, let sit 10 minutes)
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (if you don't have coffee you can just use 1 cup of boiling water)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners, or grease well and flour (really though, go with liners).

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. I made some mini cupcakes as well, and they baked for about 18 minutes.

*Note: this makes a very runny batter, don't be alarmed.

Top them with some of my yummy Peppermint Buttercream and you have a great little snack :)