Alright I’ll confess. I already have a bowl of lollies (candy) sitting on the kitchen bench ready for the trick-or-treaters. I have my low-key decorations by the front door ready to hang first thing on Thursday but I still need to decide on an appropriate outfit to greet the trick-or-treaters in.

I’m anticipating that I’ll have to be ready early as they tend to hit the streets before dinner time and before it gets dark. I’m a little bit excited can you tell?

If I knew my neighbours better – would you believe we’ve hardly met anyone yet? – I would probably offer home-baked goodies rather than store-bought rubbish. Maybe next year?

Wouldn’t you rather be given an choc hazelnut witches cupcake rather than a Fantail? I certainly would. I’ve seen a cute way of packaging them up on Pinterest where you place a single cupcake in a clear plastic cup then wrap it up with cellophane. It looks adorable and stops them getting damaged. They might even survive an hour in a bucket full of candy.

For some reason I associated hazelnut with witches. Could be form hearing witches hazel perhaps? Who knows how my brain works sometimes. It really doesn’t matter what sort of cupcake you hide below the pointy hats but I’d encourage you to make these.

They’re so light and fluffy it’s a bit like eating a ferrero rocher in cake form. I could eat the choc-hazelnut icing with a spoon (ok so maybe I did eat a little straight from the bowl, for research purposes only).

Don’t feel restricted to Halloween either. Feel free to leave the hats right off and decorate as you like for choc hazelnut cupcakes suitable for any occasion. Enjoy!

What about you? Would you rather wrapped lollies or baked treats in your trick-or-treat basket?

Choc hazelnut witches cupcakes

Name: Choc hazelnut witches cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 18
Ingredients: 100g dark chocolate, chopped; 3/4 cup water; 100g (3oz) butter, softened; 1 cup (220g) firmly-packed brown sugar; 3 free-range eggs; 1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder; 3/4 cup (110g) self-raising flour; 1/3 cup (35g) hazelnut meal; 2 tbsp butter, softened,; 2 tbsp choc-hazelnut spread; 2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar; milk or water to thin the icing; black cupcake cases for the witches hats

Yield: 18

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Cakes

100g dark chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup water
100g (3oz) butter, softened
1 cup (220g) firmly-packed brown sugar
3 free-range eggs
1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder
3/4 cup (110g) self-raising flour
1/3 cup (35g) hazelnut meal

Icing

2 tbsp butter, softened,
2 tbsp choc-hazelnut spread
2 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
milk or water to thin the icing
black cupcake cases for the witches hats

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 160C fan-forced and line two 12-hole muffin tins with cupcake liners (recipe makes about 18).
In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate and water, stirring, over low heat until smooth.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy then add the eggs, one at a time.
Take the bowl off the stand and fold in the sifted cooca and flour then the hazelnut meal and finally the melted chocolate mixture.
Divide the batter between the cupcake liners filling them about 2/3 of the way.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Leave to rest in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cakes are cooling, make the icing by beating the butter and hazelnut spread together with and electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Slowly add the icing sugar and when it is mixed in, add a little milk or water at a time until the icing is spreadable.
Beat until fluffy.
When the cakes are cool, pipe the icing over the top.
To make the witches hats, flatten out the cupcake liners then fold them in half wrapping them like a cone shape. Use a staple to hold the two sides together then spread out the 'brim' of each hate and poke out the point.
Place a hat on top of each cake.

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19 Comments

Laura (Tutti Dolci) on November 5, 2013 at 2.09 pm

Such a fun idea for Halloween, I love chocolate hazelnut desserts!

Rachel on October 30, 2013 at 10.24 pm

Hi Claire, I am really enjoying your blog. We have just moved to Ascot (I think you may be near here or were near here) from the south of France (and before that London) and we are BIG foodies! I came across your blog when researching restaurants on Racecourse Rd :) We have only been here a few weeks and I am so missing the wonderful markets in our town Menton (and Ventimilgia)! I went to 2 markets in Menton every single morning for my produce! :( I liked your blog about birthday cakes. Funnily I have found Jocelyn’s Provisions and have been there 5 times in 4 weeks (on the bus! as we can not decide on a car!). I am going to be out trick or treating tomorrow with my kiddies although I do not know what I am going to give the kiddies who come to our house. Anyway, I should be unpacking boxes as our container arrived a couple of days ago instead of trawling the internet!

Claire on October 31, 2013 at 10.17 am
Hi Rachel! Welcome to the area! We are not far away so you might even knock on our door tonight. Just look for the big pregnant bellied-lady holding the pumpkin bucket. If you need any tips to do with the area for any reason feel free to send me an email claire@clairekcreations.com Have fun tonight!

Hotly Spiced on October 29, 2013 at 12.20 pm

I love the witches’ hats. They look so cute. I do hope you get a lot of trick or treaters. I must go out and find Alfie a costume! xx

Claire on October 29, 2013 at 3.43 pm
Ooh what’s he going to be? I’m sure you’ll share his costume with us right?

Jennifer @ Delicieux on October 29, 2013 at 10.49 am

Your cupcakes are adorable Claire! I hope you get a lot of trick or treaters. We don’t have many in our neighbourhood, and most of the kids don’t even bother dressing up, they just knock on the door in search of lollies.

Claire on October 29, 2013 at 11.04 am
See I think I’ll have to make a rule, no costume, no candy!

Barbara @ Barbara Bakes on October 29, 2013 at 10.44 am

Such a fun idea. I’d definitely rather have one of your fabulous cupcakes than packaged candies.

Claire on October 29, 2013 at 11.04 am
I bet you get a lot of trick or treaters Barbara!

Glamorous Glutton on October 29, 2013 at 7.48 am

These are very cute, clever witches hats. Trick or treating hasn’t really been around in the UK long enough to have had home made treats it seems to be bought sweets all the way. Perhaps for fear of the same thing happening here as has happened in the US with adulterated baked goods. GG

Claire on October 29, 2013 at 10.03 am
Isn’t it sad? Oh well I guess I can save my home-baking for Birthday parties!

celia on October 29, 2013 at 6.06 am

So cute, Claire! I hope you get lots of trick or treaters! :)

Claire on October 29, 2013 at 10.02 am
Thanks Celia! Me too!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on October 28, 2013 at 5.22 pm

Aww they’re so cute! I can’t wait to go trick or treating!! :D

Claire on October 28, 2013 at 5.53 pm
I can’t wait to hear about it!

Maureen | Orgasmic Chef on October 28, 2013 at 1.39 pm

It’s been many years since Americans gave homemade treats on Halloween. Too many horror stories of stupid people putting razor blades or bug poison – thinking they were being funny. Most parents won’t allow kids to eat one piece of candy before they go through every single one to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with. Scary. and they have guns. :)

Love your little cupcakes!

Claire on October 28, 2013 at 1.55 pm
That’s so sad Maureen. So so sad! I did make sure that all my treats were individually wrapped for that reason. Why do people have to ruin it for everyone?!

Barb Bamber on October 28, 2013 at 11.37 am

The days of home baked treats are in a distant past in Canada. It’s a shame, because the ones someone has created are so much better than the boxes of mini-chocolates we all buy. I think the variety of treats dumped out on the floor at the end of the night must be disappointing these days! Love your little witches hats!!

Claire on October 28, 2013 at 1.55 pm
It’s such a shame Barb! Luckily I have a big warehouse candy store nearby so I could get something a little different but still individually wrapped.