CUPCAKES WITH EYES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line cups with paper liners.
• Sift cocoa powder into a large bowl and add 5 tablespoons boiling water. Stir into a thick paste, adding 1 tablespoon of water at a time, if needed.
• Add 3/4 cup butter and 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until batter is smooth.
• Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl and stir into the batter until well combined. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 to the top using an ice cream scoop.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool in muffin tin for a few minutes; transfer to wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Beat confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, 1/4 cup butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until a thick dough forms. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
• Remove the peanut butter mixture from the fridge and roll into small balls to make monster eyes.
• Chill mixture or moisten hands if it starts to stick. Arrange balls on the prepared baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
• Place white chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir continuously, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the eyes from the freezer and individually pick them up with a toothpick.
• Dip balls into melted chocolate leaving a small circle on one side blank. Twirl the toothpick to remove excess chocolate and put back on the parchment lined baking sheet.
• Dig out a bit of the peanut butter mixture from each ball where it isn't covered with chocolate to make room for the red decorating gel. Fill the holes with red decorating gel.
• Frost cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Place 2 peanut butter eyes on top. Draw on a mouth with the white decorating gel.

Steps:

• To prepare frosting: Poke holes all over sweet potato. Microwave on High, turning once, until soft, about 10 minutes total. (To roast, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Poke holes all over sweet potato and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 1 hour.) When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a food processor. Process until smooth.
• Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the warm sweet potato puree and blend until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Repeat with the remaining chocolate chips, adding 1/2 cup at a time and blending until fully incorporated. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; process until blended. Transfer the frosting to a bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and let cool completely.
• To prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (If you roasted the sweet potato, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.) Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners.
• Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• Beat granulated sugar and butter (or coconut oil) in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. With the mixer on low, alternately mix in the dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared cups.
• Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Place the frosting in a decorating bag fit with a large round tip. If using, trim several marshmallows into small mouths. Working with one cupcake at a time, pipe a few swirls of frosting onto the top, then press two candy eyes in place. Finish with a marshmallow or sprinkle for a "mouth." Refrigerate until ready to serve.