Today may be Halloween but in our house it's a much more important day. October 31 is Will's (aka the husband) Birthday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUBS!!!
Perhaps being born on Halloween is the reason he's so brave when it comes to scary movies and television. Or maybe he just looks extra brave because I'm such a wimp.
A few weeks ago we started watching Dexter from the start of season one and it's about as scary as I can handle.
While I haven't been traumatised like I was when I saw Scream at age 12 (that's a story for another day), it has stuck in my mind.
Eventually, all ideas turn to food in my head and so after seeing these cakes on Martha Stewart I knew I had to recreate them for a Dexter-inspired Halloween and Will's Birthday.
If you watch Dexter you'll understand this photo a little better. I got just a little bit carried away with my Dexter cupcake photo shoot.
The hardest part of making these was cooking the toffee but it's not really difficult, just requires patience and seeing as you can't really leave it unattended in case it turns, it does take a little while.
To add a bloody touch to the batter, I folded through some mashed up raspberries.
They actually worked so well in the recipe they just might become my go-to cupcakes.
While the cupcakes are baking, get started on the sugar syrup to make the toffee. Firstly, put the water and sugar in a pot and heat it, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
Once it has dissolved, stop stirring and bring it to a boil.
Reduce the heat a little and leave it to bubble away until the edges start to turn golden.
I always struggle with seeing it change colour in a dark pot so I used my candy thermometer and heated it to soft crack stage.
I used a silicone baking mat covered in baking paper to make the 'glass.'
All I did was laid out a big piece of baking paper over the top then quickly poured the toffee over it.
Make sure you tilt the sides quickly to make it spread and create nice and thin glass.
If you don't want to use a baking mat you can use a wide, shallow baking tray instead but be sure to line it with baking paper.
They look dangerously good don't they?
While the cupcakes are cooling, whip up the icing by beating the butter until it's soft and light and then adding the icing sugar. If you need to thin it out a bit add a little milk.
Divide the icing between the cupcakes, placing a big blob in the middle of each one.
Use a mini spatula to push the icing around and out to the sides.
I probably went a little bit over-board with the icing but I don't think you can have too much can you?
You have to leave this step until just before you're ready to serve the cupcakes or the clear glass will become frosted glass.
To make the 'blood,' mix up the remaining icing sugar with red colouring, a tiny bit of black colouring and some water.
Add the water a little at a time until you get the right consistency. Creating the colour is a bit of a hit and miss but if you make sure you only add a tiny bit of black and then add the red a little at a time you should be able to get a good blood-like colour.
Spatter the 'blood' over the top of the cupcakes and glass and serve them to your unsuspecting guests. Enjoy!
What about you? Are you good with scary movies? Do you like Dexter?
Recipe
Ingredients
- CUPCAKES
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 eggs
- 125 g unsalted butter chopped
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 225 g self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup raspberries mashed
- ICING
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups icing sugar
- GLASS
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup water
- BLOOD
- ½ cup icing sugar
- water
- red and black food colouring
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C fan-forced and line a muffin tin with cupcake cases.
- Beat the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light and creamy.
- Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat until they’re well mixed in.
- Add half the flour and mix it through then add half the juice.
- Repeat.
- Take the bowl off the stand and fold through the raspberries.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake case and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- While the cakes are baking make the toffee glass.
- Heat the water and sugar together in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring the pot to a boil then reduce the heat a little and leave it to simmer until the sides just start to turn golden (soft crack on a candy thermometer).
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper and pour the toffee over the top then quickly tilt the tray so that the toffee spreads out. Leave it to set.
- Leave the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.
- Make the icing by beating the butter with an electric mixer then adding the icing sugar. Add a little milk if you need to thin the icing.
- Spread the cooled cupcakes with icing.
- Carefully break the toffee into shards and arrange on top of the cakes.
- Mix the rest of the icing sugar together with red colouring and a hint of black and a little bit of water to get it to the right consistency and colour to drizzle.
- Drizzle it over the top of the cakes and leave it to set.
- Serve immediately.
Mary Frances says
Toffee glass? wow! This is brilliant Claire! Happy Halloween! :)
Claire says
Thanks Mary!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
Ohh, the first season of Dexter is the best! Happy Birthday to your hubby - I loved growing up with a close to Halloween birthday. Next year I need to do these cupcakes!
Claire says
Isn't Dexter great?! You could do a giant one as a Birthday cake!
KrisJ says
Love your ghoulish take on Martha's cupcakes - very adults only - they really do look so much more tempting as they drip with luscious fruity blood. The toffee blood slide was a stroke of genius !! I started watching Dexter two three years ago but have missed the last few seasons. I console myself with the knowledge that I can always buy the season DVD when ever.
Claire says
You'll have to get them Kris it just gets better and better!
The Café Sucré Farine says
Happy Birthday Will! What a fun and clever wife you have to go through so much effort to make your birthday special, scary special!
Claire says
He's a lucky man isn't he? :-)
Hotly Spiced says
Happy Birthday to Will. These are so cute! I love them. What a great idea. I love the 'glass'. So clever! xx
Claire says
Thanks Charlie! x
Jennifer (Delicieux) says
I had my eye on these cupcakes from Martha's site too. They looked like so much fun, and yours look fantastic! I love the "blood" oozing from them. Happy birthday to your husband!
Claire says
Thanks Jen!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Hehe they are so cute (can I say that about blood slides?). Will you put up a pic of Will as Dexter? I was just watching it the other night *swooooon*
Claire says
Yes of course you can! I'm going to try. I'll be in Adelaide so will have to rely on someone else getting a pic for me. I think seeing as I spent 2 hours with him buying all the parts I deserve a a pic to share!
Cassandra Aldcroft says
I love Dexter - you have nailed it :) Happy Birthday Will!
Claire says
Thanks Cass! It seems there are a lot of Dexter fans out there. He is rather loveable!
Marica says
Hi Claire,
Your cupcakes look magnificent and I can appreciate the nod to Dexter. If I ever have a Halloween party, these will take pride of place. Very, very cool. Happy birthday too!
Claire says
Thanks Marica! Glad you got the Dexter reference. You'll have to share a pic if you ever make them, pretty please.
Jess says
Toffee glass!? I love it! Happy birthday to Will!
Claire says
Thanks Jess!