Graveyard Cupcakes

Prep Time: 1 hr. 30 minutes

Bake Time: 30 to 35 minutes

Makes: 12 cupcakes

For the Cake

♦ 1 stick + 1 Tablespoon (9 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

♦ ¾ cup sugar

♦ 3 eggs, at room temperature

♦ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

♦ ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

♦ 1 Tablespoon baking powder

♦ 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

♦ ½ cup whole milk minus 2 Tablespoons, at room temperature

♦ Zest of one navel orange

♦ 2 Tablespoons juice from navel orange

For the Cupcake Filling

♦ 1 to 2 cups seedless raspberry or seedless strawberry jam

♦ 2-3 drops of red food coloring (optional) plus 1 drop blue food coloring (only if using strawberry jam)

♦ 1 Tablespoon water

OR

♦ 6 ounces unsalted pistachios

♦ 1 cup powdered sugar

♦ 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

♦ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

♦ whole milk – enough to create the right runny consistency

♦ green food coloring (optiona)

For the “Unperfect Ganache” Coating

♦ 1/2 cups heavy cream

♦ 1 bag (12 ounces) of good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

♦ 1 Tablespoon Dark Corn Syrup

♦ 1 Tablespoon butter

♦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Graveyard Dirt Coating

♦ 2/3 – 1 package of Oreos, with the fillings scraped out, coarsely ground

For the Decorations

♦ 6 Milano cookies (I prefer orange flavored), cut in half widthwise

♦ 1 bag white chocolate

♦ 1 tube black “writing icing”

♦ A few sheets of parchment paper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line your muffin pan(s) with 12 liners.  If your eggs are not at room temperature, place them in a bowl of very warm water for 10 minutes.  You can also soften the butter and bring the milk to room temperature in the microwave. 

In the bowl of a food processor or mixer, add the butter, sugar, vanilla, orange zest and salt and cream together for at least 5 minutes. Please Note: if you’re making this recipe for kids, you can omit the orange zest and juice - just make sure to replace the 2 TB of orange juice with 2 TB of milk.  The sugar should be well incorporated, and the mixture should be light in color and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.  Sift the baking powder and flour together and add half it to the creamed butter and egg mixture.  Mix for a few seconds and then add in the orange juice and half of the milk and mix just until barely incorporated.  Mix in the rest of the flour and milk, repeating the above process.  Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Stop mixing as soon as the flour and milk has been thoroughly incorporated.  The finished mixture will resemble thick pancake batter.

Divide the mixture evenly into the prepared muffin tin(s) using two spoons or an ce cream scoop.  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out completely clean, and the top is a light golden color.  Remove the tin from the oven and cool the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then carefully lift out the cupcakes and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Heat the heavy cream (I use the microwave and a 4-cup glass measuring cup) until just below boiling, then add 2/3 of the bag of chocolate chips.  Stir until the chocolate is mostly melted, then add the butter, vanilla and corn syrup.  Stir until the butter is completely incorporated.  Let the ganache sit for about 15 minutes, then add the rest of the chocolate.  You do not want to make a perfect ganache, so some chunks are a good thing!  Let the ganache sit until it has thickened.

While the ganache is cooling you can assemble your fillings.  Use the full recipe amount if you want 12 of the same filling or use half of the amounts for each to fill 6 with pistachio and 6 with jam.  This is also a good time to prepare your Oreo “dirt” and create the graveyard decorations.

To make the gravestones, melt ¾ of a bag of white chocolate chips in the microwave.  Start with 45 seconds, stir the chocolate, and then put it in for an additional 20 to 30 seconds until thoroughly melted.  Add enough black writing icing to create a grey tombstone color.  Lay a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface.  Dip each Milano cookie half in the grey chocolate and lay them on the parchment paper to set (should only take a few minutes).  Write “RIP” or “BOO” on your tombstones using the black writing icing.  To make some ghosts, melt the remainder of the white chocolate in the microwave.  Lay down another piece of parchment paper on a flat surface.  Using a spoon, drop some white chocolate onto the paper and make a ghost shape.  When set, add eyes and mouth using the black writing icing.

When the cupcakes have cooled completely, take a steak or paring knife and cut around the inside top of each cupcake in a circle (holding the knife at an angle).  You are trying to create a good holding area for your fillings.  Remove the circle you cut out (this will be your lid) and trim the bottom a little so the filling will have more room.  Using your fingers, hollow out bit more of the cupcake, being careful not to remove too much cake or they can collapse once the filling is in.

Spoon your desired filling into each hollowed out cupcake, leaving enough room at the top so it doesn’t squish out too much when the lid is replaced.  Place the lids back on your cupcakes.

Cover your counter with some parchment paper or plastic wrap (this makes for easy clean up later).  Dump your graveyard cookie dirt into an open flat container or onto a plate.  Spoon some ganache on each cupcake (about 2 Tablespoons or so) and spread it all over the top and sides (if the ganache has set too much you can put it in the microwave for a few seconds).  Using your hands, carefully press the graveyard cookie dirt into the sides and tops of the cupcakes.  Top with a tombstone and ghost (dip the bottom of each in a bit of the ganache and then press gently onto the top of the cupcake).  Enjoy with a generous supply of napkins - Happy Halloween!