GLUTEN-FREE SPIDER CUPCAKES
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
For the cupcakes: 250g gluten-free plain flour; 2tbsp cocoa powder; 1tsp baking powder; 100g softened butter; 150g caster sugar; 1tbsp red food colouring; 2 eggs; 150ml milk For the chocolate frosting: 55g softened butter; 90g milk or dark cooking chocolate; 215g icing sugar; 2 drops of vanilla extract/vanilla essence; 88ml milk For the decoration: 2 packs of Fruit Bowl blackcurrant or raspberry Peelers; 1 bag of Fruit Bowl yoghurt coated raisins, halved widthways; 1 bag Fruit Bowl blackcurrant fruit flakes cut into pieces
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Gas Mark 4. Sieve the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and mix together in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar, then add the red food colouring, followed by the eggs and the milk. Mix well.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture. Mix well. Pour into cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes until cakes are soft and springy to touch.
Once removed from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool. While cooling, make the frosting.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of boiling water or in a microwave. Ensure the mix doesn’t come into contact with the water.
In a bowl, combine the icing sugar, vanilla and 60ml of the milk. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture then add the milk a little at a time until you get the desired consistency.
Let the icing stand until spreadable (the frosting will thicken as it cools). Once the cupcakes are cooled, pipe or spread the frosting onto the cupcakes.
Make the body by taking a strand from a Peeler and roll into a spiral. Secure with a small blob of icing and place in the middle of the cupcake.
To make the legs, cut Peeler pieces into 5cm strips making eight in total. Bend the end of each one towards you and position them so that they are coming out of the spider body. Fix two raisin halves towards the top of the body of the spider for the eyes and then place a piece of blackcurrant flake in the centre of each one for the pupils.
Repeat for the other cupcakes.