The Walking Gingerbread Men (Zombie Apocalypse Cupcake)

The Walking Gingerbread Men (Zombie Apocalypse Cupcake)

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Zombies, Zombies, Zombies; I've read 'World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War', I've run from the zombies with the 'Zombies, Run!' app and can't stop watching 'The Walking Dead' on cable (can you?).

And I'll tell you now... not since grade three when I was chosen last for the tunnel ball team have I been more disappointed to learn that everyone I know is not taking me with them if a zombie apocalypse strikes.... well, that's not including the few that said "you could be useful as bait". 

Darn that fibromyalgia, just because I can be a bit slow and limpy... I bet I speed up and eat (their) brains when I'm a ZOMBIE! 

Back to 'The Walking Dead' (not a neat segue, but I'm distressed!!), where there is so few humans left I'd be watching out for those gingerbread men this Christmas!!! 

Happy Halloween :) 

Oh, and if you want to make these toppers you will need, a gingerbread man mini cutter, some gingerbread coloured fondant or modelling chocolate, a black food marker, a little white fondant.... plus frosted or fondant covered cupcakes and I added a few fresh gingerbread "crumbs". 

Dan the Shrunken Head Halloween Cupcake

                 Dan the shrunken head halloween cupcake

I've been drying chicken in the oven for dog treats this week, the pugs love the shrunken pieces... and yep, this is segue into today's shrunken head cupcake.

Firstly, don't stress about your sculpting skills when you whip up shrunken heads of your hubby, boss or teenagers... you really just need to pick up a few identifiable features. 

Here is Dan, my step son. I could have put his hair shape and beard on a ping pong ball and people would have still said "it's Daniel". Sooo, a bald head, eye glasses, big ears, red hair, curly hair or maybe a nose ring will make up the features of your shrunken head. 

Dan's shrunken head started with this basic shape modelled from a 50/50 modelling paste/modelling chocolate combination.

It's easy with modelling chocolate to smooth and blend joins (like the top of Dan's nose), the heat of your fingers will do it. The addition of modelling paste or fondant with CMC powder added will make sure your piece dries firmly, important if you are living in a warmer climate.  

The bonus of making Halloween shrunken heads and zombies is that if a bit doesn't look right you just give it a squeeze or break a bit off, "it's shrunken". 

Have fun.

Happy Baking :) 

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You might also be interested in an easy white modelling chocolate recipe

Attack of the Swamp Zombie cupcake

                            attack of the swamp Zombie cupcake

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The dietician on talk back radio was saying "don't deny your chocolate cravings just buy a Freddo Frog instead of a whole block of chocolate"... first thing I thought... hope that includes cream frogs! 

Some might consider 1950's sci fi and horror films schlock; I prefer to think of them as little gems, their black and white film reels disguised with bright and lurid poster art.

1950's poster art

Besides they are so much fun and a great inspiration for Halloween cupcakes. Today's cupcake relies on "a hand", it can be a zombie, a sea creature or perhaps an alien hand. Make your hands with fondant or modelling paste the night before you need them, insert a tooth pick or a piece of dry spaghetti amd the leave to dry. Next day pop them in your fondant, iced or frosted cupcakes and they are ready to hold your treat of choice.

I used Cadbury Cream Freddo's, they come in Strawberry or Peppermint. 

Just before serving I broke the Peppermint filled Freddo Frogs to allow for the right amount of Halloween goo. 

Happy Baking :)

The Raven and The Black Cat Cupcakes

                                                The  Raven cupcake

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

The Raven Edgar Allan Poe 1845

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Sorry, I've been missing for three months without explanation. I think "Annus Horribilis" sums it up. xx

It was my step son Daniel who gave me his copy of Poe with a "read this again" order that has given me a much needed push to get up and going.  I'll be back full time September 24th... until then here is two cupcakes inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, a more traditional design and a naive/primitive design. 

Want to make a raven? Here is how I make mine. 

Using black fondant or modelling paste make the shape of the ravens body. With food colouring, colour a toothpick black and cut it in half, this will form the legs of the raven and secure the bird to the book.

almost completed raven

Add a beak, feathers and eyes to your raven. Insert toothpick halfs. Allow several hours to dry completely. 

Fondant rolled onto the back of my baking mat was imprinted with this pattern for the book cover.

The book is made from white fondant, make a book shaped brick of fondant, score edges to give the illusion of pages. To make the cover roll a piece of fondant (I used the back of baking making to add an imprinted pattern) and cut to fit your book. 

for vintage feel to the book score sides unevenly for a well read look

Dust the edges of your book with gold lustre dust. Dust the raven with dark blue or purple lustre dust. Dust the book cover with your colour of choice. Add decorations such as straps, book plate by colouring rolling and shaping small pieces of fondant. Insert the raven into the book and add four claws to make up each foot... three at the front and one rear "toe". 

                             The Black Cat mini cupcake

Pluto --this was the cat's name --was my favorite pet and playmate

 The Black Cat Edgar Allan Poe 1843

Black cats remind me of childhood; black cat lollies, the black cat token on Cadbury Black Cat chocolates and reading The Black Cat by torchlight under the blankets.

mum gave these Cadbury chocolate box tokens when I was little, they became my barbies "kittens".

black cat lollies

The black cat fondant figure is formed almost totally from oval shapes. Can you see them in the cat? 

An oval is stood on it's end and elongated into the cats body. An oval on it's side sliighly pushed inwards makes up the cats head. Small ovals shaped to form the eyes. Ovals are attached to the top of the head and pinched upwards for the ears. The nose is an oval pulled downwards. The legs and feet are made up of two varying sized ovals. 

The whiskers and tail aren't ovals, but rather rolled black modelling paste. 

A steamed finish gives it shine.

Happy baking :) I'll see you all Septemeber 24th. Thank you for the support and I WILL be catching up with all those questions I have missed. 

you may be interested in steamed finish for your cupcakes

or getting an early start for Halloween with "Boo Cupcakes"

Evil Egg and Egg Shell Food Containers

evil egg fondant topped vanilla custard, caramel sauce and brioche cinnamon toast dippers

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Bake a lot and go through a whole lot of eggs? Well, you might as well put those empty egg shells to use, they make fabulous serving containers for sweet and savoury dishes. You can dye the shells to match your theme, use them for amuse-bouche scrambled eggs, to hold lollies and candies, filled with piped chocolate mousse or as I have done today "evil eggs" for Halloween. 

Guests spoon off the evil fondant toppers to reveal vanilla custard, I served them in shot glasses with caramel sauce to add to the custard and toasted brioche batons tossed in cinnamon sugar for dipping. Because the custard needs refrigeration and the fondant doesn't like refrigeration, these have to be made no longer that one and a half hours before serving. 

The easiest way to get a neat cut on your eggs is to use an egg topper, but a knife and steady hand will suffice.

there is two main types of egg toppers; scissors or the one I use the plunger type.

My egg topper works by first placing your egg on a folded dish towel, positioning the bowl shaped end on egg and lifting the plunger handle, release the handle and ta-da you have a topped egg. As you top each egg, slide the contents into a bowl to use for your cooking needs. 

Preparing you shells

Place your emptied shells in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil. Reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn of the heat and with a slotted spoon remove eggs shells from water and transfer to a baking rack to dry overnight. Dried shells can be stored indefinitely. 

dried shells ready to use

To make evil eggs, you will need white fondant, egg yellow, red and black coloured fondant and a black food marker for the eyes. Optional; cake decorators clear gel or leaf varnish to add shine to the yolk. 

Fill your shells with vanilla custard (home made or store bought) until it's three quarters full. Roll and shape pieces of the white fondant and one by one top the custard filled eggs, attaching the fondant to the top of the shell so it's not touching the custard. Shape a pieces of the yellow fondant to form yolks, attach to the white fondant with water.. don't forget to add a few drips! Add eyes the white and red fondant, eyebrows with the black fondant, attach with water. Draw a black dot on the eyes. Glaze if using. 

Refrigerate one to one and half hours before serving. 

Happy Baking :) or today it's not baking it's... lol, not sure "egging"?

my egg topper from The Red Spoon Company (AU)

more in the mood in for ice-cream?

Baci ice-cream

or run out of time for Halloween cupcakes... pop these together in seconds.

Along came the Spiders

"Weep now or Never more" cupcake

                                    weep now or never more cupcake

Ah, broken is the golden bowl! the spirit flown forever!
Let the bell toll! -a saintly soul floats on the Stygian river - 
And, Guy De Vere, hast thou no tear? -weep now or never more!
See! on yon drear and rigid bier low lies thy love, Lenore!
Come! let the burial rite be read -the funeral song be sung! - 
An anthem for the queenliest dead that ever died so young - 
A dirge for her, the doubly dead in that she died so young.

first stanza 'Lenore' Edgar Allan Poe

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My Nan was the cutest elderly woman who also had a penchant for horror stories, with a particular fondness of anything by Edgar Allan Poe. With Halloween just around the corner (or should that be "dark corner"?) my thoughts were of Poe and a quick cupcake pick technique that can be used for any occasion.

Give your guests a small take home token in the form of a cupcake pick. Today I'm using miniature skeleton cameos for Halloween but it could be any charm, token or small costume jewellery piece to suit your occasion.

Tiny Cameos 1.9cm x 1.27cm  (3/4 by 1/2 inch)

Take your cameo or charm and colour a toothpick with food colour to match your theme. Attach a the toothpick (cut the toothpick if it's too long for your charm) to the cameo with a small piece of black fondant. Leave to dry overnight. 

attach toothpick with black fondant

Place picks in prepared cupcakes. The fondant is easily broken away leaving your guest with a reminder of the event. 

Oh, a tip on black icing whether it's the glace icing I used to ice today's mini cupcakes or fondant... start with chocolate icing that way you won't have to use anywhere near as much black food colour as you would if you started with white. 

Happy Baking :) 

Sweet skeleton day of dead cameo charm with oxidised silver frame from Silver Crow Creations (US)

You might also be interested in Gothic Cockroach Cupcakes

True Blood Cupcakes, Blood Sauce & Vampire Paper Dolls

                                      true blood cupcake

You'll need a great tasting "blood" dessert sauce for your Halloween and horror themed parties. The following sauce is based on what we call in Australia 'heavy syrup', the addition of fresh raspberries not only gives you a great flavour but also cuts down or eliminates the need for red food colourings. 

Unless you have an extremely sweet tooth there will be leftover heavy syrup, but you can refrigerate the leftover syrup in an airtight jar where it will keep indefinitely and be used to sweeten your fruit desserts, baking & cocktails. 

Raspberry "Blood" Sauce

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of water

1 cup of raspberries pureed and sieved 

Raspberry liqueur (optional)

Red food colour (optional)

Combine the sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, washing down any extra sugar crystals from the side with a wet pastry brush; cook until sugar is completely dissolved, keep an eye on it you don't want to end up with caramel, but rather a clear thick syrup. Allow to cool completely.

To make the blood sauce; in bowl combine the pureed raspberries with syrup to taste, add a dash of raspberry liqueur and a few drops of red colouring if desired. Chill until ready to use.

For 'True Blood' dessert cupcakes, pipe a circle of white frosting onto your cupcake making sure you have a "hole" in the centre to hold your sauce. When it's time to serve pop your cupcakes on serving plates and fill the hole with blood sauce. 

Vampire Paper Dolls

I LOVE THESE!! Vampire paper dolls by Tom Tierney contains a plethora of vampire characters from ancient Egypt up to.... yes, Edward and Bella!! There is The Vampire Cat of Nebeshima from Japan, Queen Akasha from The Queen of the Damned, Dracula and Vampira to name a few. 

You get one "form" paper doll to dress but it's easy enough to use that as a template to cut out plain card forms. Imagine your vampire themed dinner party where each guest has a vampire doll with a matching cupcake... loads of fun :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! 

Vampire paper dolls available from Amazon

Hi Adelayde, I owe you a cupcake!!

vampire mice attempt 4

My step sons girlfriend Adelayde is over from Western Australia along with her Mum. They were all going to Jamie Oliver's 15 restaurant last night, off tonight to see Celtic Women in concert and attending the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

I thought it would nice to make Halloween cakes especially for Daniel and Adelayde and tossed up between a true blood type theme or cute; cute won.

First I made the fondant Mickey and Minnie with the help of Disney cutters, a heart cutter to make the wings & added fangs. My idea was to make chocolate vampire pops so I attempted to "cocoa mould" with fondant Mickey and Minnie vampire bats. This didn't work as the fondant shapes weren't heavy enough to make an imprint. Idea two was another attempt to make a mould by pressing a bat into pate sucree; the whole thing dissolved.

remaining head from the cocoa mould attempt 

Idea three became grandiose with marbled bats and columns, I was thinking wouldn't Mickey and Minnie be great as the statues on either side of a spooky gate and I could include a love heart in the gate. Weather came into play yesterday, hot day and a hot house led to drooping sagging modelling paste. 

the last remaining marbled wing from the drooping modelling paste bat

Woke up this morning with idea four [*insert crying between idea three and four] white billowy frosting with a marbling of dark blue and purple, dark bats and the moon behind them with a love heart cloud in front of it. Yep, yep, yep, finished the bats and took out a small brush just about to add shimmer details when I looked down at them and decided "I don't think I like this" and that was that.

Sooooo, "I owe Adelayde a cupcake!!

Adelayde and Linda I hope you're having a lovely time in Melbourne :)

Pumpkin Man Cupcake

pumpkin man cupcake pick, mini pumpkin cupcake with swiss meringue butter cream frosting

Peter Peter pumpkin Eater

Had a wife but couldn't keep her;

He put her in a pumpkin shell

And there he kept her very well.

As a child I never liked this rhyme, creepy Peter putting his wife in a pumpkin shell. As an adult it came as little surprise when I found out the rhyme possibly has murderous origins. 

The first appearance of 'Peter Peter the pumpkin eater' was in the American Mother Goose, however from Europe we have Eeper Weeper a rhyme/song about a chimney sweep who murdered his wife and shoved her up a chimney. 

Eeeper Weeper,

Had a wife and couldn't keep her.

Had another, didn't love her,

Up the chimbley he did shove her.

We can go back further to an earlier rhyme, where yet again we see the demise of the "wife". 

Peter, my neeper,

Had a wife,

And he couidna' keep her,

He pat i' the wa',

And lat a' thet mice eat her.

Whether kept in a pumpkin shell, shoved up a chimney or the mice having a nibble it's a suitably creepy Halloween conversation ;)

Now on to cupcake picks, I've spoken before about my love of German dresden's and paper scraps, I just love the old world charm of these bits and pieces. My latest dresden the 'pumpkin man' is die cut and embossed on thin shiny card, these little oddities quickly become cupcake picks with the addition of a coloured toothpick.

attach a toothpick with sticky tape or non-toxic glue 

I purchased my pumpkin men from SilverCrow Creations a fun online store that carry a large range of dresden's and paper charms. 

Your might also be interested in;

                         dresdens

Cockroach Cupcakes

                                     gothic cockroach cupcakes

Alas not back to full time blogging yet... but I do have a week of Halloween baking I'll be posting.

I'm saying "Halloween", but really I'm in vampire mode as my step-son Daniel readies himself to shoot his end of year short film to complete his first year of film studies. Yes, it's going to be a vampire story. To celebrate today's cupcakes have a gothic feel, thanks in part to Martha Stewart's gothic bug halloween cupcake liners and partly because I'm old enough to remember a time when vampires didn't sparkle!! 

Quick and easy to make, you will need...

12 iced, frosted or fondant topped cupcakes (I used choc/caramel cakes with caramel fondant)

12 rubber or plastic cockroaches or suitable creepy crawlies

1/2 cup crushed plain chocolate biscuits (cookies)

Dig a a hole in your cakes with the point of a small sharp knife, sprinkle a few biscuit crumbs in and around the hole then insert your cockroach. 

That's it, happy baking :)

My cockroaches came from SilverCrow Creations.  

*if serving to children under two years of age replace rubber/plastic bugs with lolly versions.

More rubbery creepy crawlies with quick and easy along came the spiders cupcakes....

                     Along came the Spider

                     BOO!! cupcake toppers