This is a collaborative post: It’s that time of year again – the leaves are changing, the pumpkins are in season, and it’s almost Halloween! If you’re looking for an easy way to celebrate with your little monsters this year then look no further. We’ve got some ideas below that will have them begging for more when they see how adorable their cake is. And, unlike last year you might be catering for more than just your little ones. Yes, kids parties and all of the inevitable tears, tantrums and sugar rushes they come with are back on the menu. But, before you start reaching for the Chenin Blanc at 10 AM on the big day here are some easy spooky cake ideas to make your Halloween and Bonfire night parties go with a hassle-free bang.
First up, let’s remind ourselves of a basic cupcake recipe. We’ve probably seen lots of lockdown bakers upping their carrot and lemon cake games on Instagram but if you were busy juggling homeschooling and general lockdown angst you may have got a bit rusty in the baking department. So here goes. Your basic cupcake recipe is essentially a sponge recipe so the basics you will need are :
– Self-raising flour
– Eggs
– Butter (unsalted); and,
– Sugar. The rest is up to you! Whether it’s chocolate chips or fruit mix-ins like raspberries that your little monsters will love the most. You can even make this recipe into a cake if you wanted to turn your cupcake into a larger spooky treat.
Simple is beautiful
Let’s be honest, most Halloween parties for little ones are going to be mostly about Haribo and lemonade so, unless you have a lot of time on your hands and/or you’re partial to cake decoration keep it simple.
This first recipe is great for a children’s party or even as a pudding at mealtimes. It makes 24 cupcakes and takes around 25-30 minutes to prepare, 20 minutes of which will be baking time. By the end, you’ll have 24 spooky little cakes that are so versatile they could easily become part of your recipe staple. First of all, follow a basic cupcake recipe for 12 and double it for this recipe. Then, take your cupcakes and cut out small holes in the centre. This is where you will be putting the goo!
To make your slime simply mix together:
– One can of condensed milk; and,
– Two tablespoons of green food colouring to give it that extra spooky look we all associate with Halloween.
Slime time!
– Pour your slime into the holes in the cupcakes and voila, you’re done. If anything this recipe is even easier than it looks. You can add any other ingredients that you think will make a tasty addition to these already delicious spooky treats such as peanut butter or marshmallows for an extra sugar rush to really get the little ones running riot.
Get creative
If slime isn’t really your thing and you want to get your creative juices flowing a bit more simply follow your basic cupcake recipe and then spook them up with a basic icing and buttercream or coloured icing cutouts. The possibilities are endless and the kids will love to get involved too.
Next up, we’ve got a moist but spooky Halloween cake for you that is perfect as part of your children’s menu or even as dessert at Bonfire night parties later in the month This recipe makes one medium-sized pumpkin-shaped cake (it doesn’t have to be perfect we promise) and takes around 45 minutes to prepare, 30 of which will be cooking time. You’ll need:
– One cupcake mix
– Half a tub of vanilla icing (or any other flavour you fancy really); and,
– Pumpkin food colouring If your little monsters are anything like ours then they will love to help you make this. Not only is it a lot of fun but it’s a great way for them to get involved in the kitchen and learn some new skills too.
First, simply follow your cupcake recipe as normal with one difference:
– Add three teaspoons of pumpkin puree or alternatively just add two teaspoons of food colouring to the cupcake mix.
– Bake your cupcakes for around 18 minutes (until they spring back when gently pressed with a finger) and leave them to cool completely before icing them. If you want to make this recipe spooky then simply add in half of your pumpkin puree into the buttercream or icing! Next, simply arrange in a pumpkin shape and voila! The parents will think you’re a domestic goddess ala Nigella and your kids will get all the kudos for having the coolest Mum.
These recipes are super simple because let’s face it, we all have a lot going on right now but if you really wanted to challenge yourself on the design front you could do worse than checking out https://www.angesdesucre.com/ and if you live in London and your budget allows get some awesome Halloween cakes delivered.