PIN IT!- 1 oz black cherry vodka
- 1/2 oz grenadine
- cola
- maraschino cherries for garnish
Hallo-week: Dracula Inspired Goodies!
10.25.10
I’m slightly obsessed with Halloween and this year, I’ve decided to celebrate all week long! I got this idea from my good friend Nicole and I’m eager to partake! Halloween is the one time of year where you can dress up and take on a new persona, as well as indulge on sweet drinks and miniature candies without much regret. To kick off this Hallo-week celebration, I’m featuring a Dracula inspired drink and cupcake combo. Who knew blood tasted so darn good?
Dracula’s Kiss Cocktail
What You’ll Need:
How to Make It:
- Coat the bottom of a glass with grenadine.
- Add ice and vodka.
- Fill with cola.
- Garnish with cherries.
Dracula’s Bite Cupcakes [Via Parenting Magazine]
[Via]
What You’ll Need:
Cupcakes:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup superfine sugar
- 1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons red food coloring
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup cocoa
- 1 ½ cups all purpose (plain) flour, sifted twice
Frosting:
- 2 tablespoons (25g) butter, at room temperature
- 1⁄2 cup (125g) light cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⁄4 cup (125g) confectioner’s (icing) sugar
Cherry “Blood” Sauce:
- 1 cup (125g) black cherries, very ripe and de-stoned or canned
- 1⁄4 cup (50g) superfine (caster) sugar
- 1⁄2 cup (120ml) water or juice from the canned cherries, if using
- 1⁄2 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
How to Make:
Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until very light (about 5 minutes). Beat in the egg until well incorporated. In a small separate bowl, beat the vanilla extract, coloring, salt, and cocoa into a thick paste. Beat into the butter mixture.
- With the mixer running on a slow speed, add the flour to the mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour.
- Stir the vinegar into the baking soda, add to the batter, and fold in using a spatula. Leave to stand for 3 minutes.
- Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon the batter into the paper cases, filling them three-quarters full. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
Frosting and Decoration:
- To make the frosting, beat the softened butter in a small bowl. Add the cream cheese and blend together until there are no lumps. Add the vanilla extract and gradually beat in the sugar until you have a fairly thick, spreadable consistency. Ice the cupcakes using the back of a dessertspoon and give them a smooth finish.
- To make the cherry sauce, blend the cherries in a bowl using an electric hand blender, then place in a medium-sized heavy-based pan with the sugar, water, lime juice, and cornstarch or arrowroot. Heat on medium until the cherries begin to release their liquid, and then slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a simmer and heat until the cherry mixture has thickened to the desired consistency (runny enough to pipe but thick enough to prevent bleeding into the frosting). Allow to cool.
- Fit a piping bag with a number 67 tip, then pour in the cherry pulp mixture. Insert the tip gently into the frosting to make “bite marks,” and then spill the “blood” out over each cake. Dot the finished cakes with pomegranate seeds.
Nutritional Information per cupcake: 260 calories, 12.2 grams of fat, 3.1 grams of protein and .5 grams of fiber.
