Halloween Brain Cupcakes

Happy Halloween from the scary city of New York! I hope everyone had a great time having fun and eating candy =]. As one of my favorite holidays, I decided to create spooky blood splattered brain cupcakes! Using my red velvet for a haunting blood red inside, a creamy white chocolate cream cheese frosting, and raspberry chocolate "blood" spatters, you can make any one scream. Enjoy =]

Red Velvet Cupcakes-


Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 rounded tbs cocoa powder
• 1 cup butter milk plus 2 tbs heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 oz melted semi sweet  chocolate
• red food dye

Directions-

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy. This might take a few minutes, but it's very important to let it mix. Next, add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Also, in a measuring cup combine the buttermilk, vanilla, and heavy cream. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients into the mixing bowl, ending with the dry ingredients. Once the batter is fully mixed, melt the semi sweet chocolate in a double broiler, and add about half into the batter. Mix until incorporated. If you like the cake to be more chocolaty, then add more. Mix in the red food dye until you have a clear red color. Add the batter into 2 prepared cupcake tins and bake for about 18 minutes, or when the tops are bouncy to touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting-

Ingredients-

• 4 oz white chocolate
• 8 ounces cream cheese, not whipped room temp
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temp
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbs heavy cream
• red food coloring

Directions-

Melt the white chocolate in a double broiler, and allow to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese. Slowly add the white chocolate and vanilla extract. 1/2 a cup at a time, add the powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly. Add in the dye until you get a light pink hue. Lastly, add the heavy cream and mix on high for about a minute. You can put the frosting in the fridge to firm a bit if the cupcakes haven't finished cooling.

Raspberry Sauce "Blood"-

Ingredients-

• 3 tbs raspberry preserves
• remaining melted semi sweet chocolate, or 2 oz
• water

Directions-

In a bowl, strain out the seeds from the raspberry preserves. Add the chocolate and mix till combined. Slowly add water until the consistency gives you the ability to easily splatter onto the cupcakes, and has a blood red color.