Chocolate Orange Spooky Spider Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

CUPCAKE

• 200g unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 150g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• Zest of orange
• Juice ½ orange

ICING

• 250g unsalted butter
• 500g icing sugar
• Juice ½ orange
• Zest of orange
• 3-4 drops orange food colouring

DECORATION

• 200g dark chocolate
• 50ml double cream
• 6 Oreo cookies
• Optional: white and black readymade writing icing

METHOD

1. Line a muffin tin with 12 deep cupcake cases and preheat the oven to 180 degrees fan.
2. Beat together your unsalted butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, beat until combined.
3. Add flour, cocoa powder, orange juice and zest and beat again until smooth.
4. Spoon equal amounts into each cupcake case and bake for 15-18 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, leave in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To make the spiders web and legs, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
7. Make the ganache by combining the dark chocolate and cream into a microwavable bowl and heat for 30 seconds, stir well until smooth and glossy, if needed pop back in for a further 10 seconds and stir again.
8. Using a spoon drizzle on to the greaseproof paper 36 leg shapes and 6 spider webs. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
9. To make the buttercream, beat the butter until pale and fluffy, then add the icing sugar, orange juice, zest and food colouring and beat again until soft and creamy.
10. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes
11. Once set, peel the spider’s webs off the greaseproof paper and pop on to the top of six of the cupcakes.
12. For the spiders, place an Oreo cookie on to the top of the buttercream of the remaining six cupcakes, then add 3 legs on each side of the spider by pushing into the icing. Optional: Using ready-made writing icing draw on two eyes.

ENJOY! If you opt for Chocolate Orange Spooky Spider Cupcakes, please do share a picture!