Name: Bat Cupcakes
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 24 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 (15.25-ounce) box devil’s food cake mix; 1 (3.9-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix; 1/2 c. milk; 1/2 c. vegetable oil; 3 large eggs; 1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature; 5 c. powdered sugar; 3 tbsp. heavy cream; 3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 36 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos); 60 white candy melts; 48 red candy-coated chocolates (such as M&M's)

Step 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Step 2In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and ½ cup water until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake until the tops spring back when lightly pressed or a toothpick comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Step 3Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy and light, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add half the powdered sugar, mixing until combined. Add the heavy cream and mix to incorporate. Add the cocoa powder, vanilla, and remaining powdered sugar and mix to incorporate. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Step 4To make the eyes, spread a very small amount of frosting on the back of a red candy-coated chocolate and press it into the center of the flat side of a white candy melt. Repeat to make 48 eyes total.

Step 5To make the faces, spread a small amount of frosting on the back of 2 eyes and place on a sandwich cookie, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with the remaining eyes to make 24 faces total.

Step 6Use a sharp or serrated knife to cut the remaining 12 candy melts into small wedges—about 6 per melt. Working with 2 wedges at a time, spread a little frosting on the back of the wedges and place them on a cookie underneath the eyes to make fangs. Repeat with the remaining wedges.

Step 7Twist open the remaining 12 sandwich cookies and scrape off the frosting so you have 24 cookies (discard the frosting). Cut each cookie in half to make wings.

Step 8Spread the remaining frosting on the cupcakes with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Alternatively, transfer the frosting to a piping bag or plastic zip-top bag, cut off the tip, and pipe the frosting to cover.

Step 9To assemble the bats, place a bat face on top of a frosted cupcake. Insert a cookie half on either side behind the face for the wings. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes, faces, and wings.

Bat Cupcakes

Ingredients

Directions

Fall