Looking for Halloween cupcake decorating ideas? One of the most versatile treats you can make for this holiday season is graveyard-themed -- cupcake or cake, the choice is yours!
The type of pastry you choose to make is secondary to what you put on top, and there's no end to the possibilities.
After the jump, find everything you need to make your own graveyard cupcake extravaganza.
'The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook'
Recipes by Tarek Malouk and the Hummingbird Bakers
Photographs by Peter Cassidy
Rylan Peters & Small -- 2009 Buy it on Amazon
Once a journalist, London-based writer Tarek Malouk forsook his career to indulge his love of American desserts. As visions of cupcakes, pies and brownies pranced in his head, he enrolled in baking classes in New York and returned to London, eager to open a restaurant to showcase his cherished treats.
Though one might typically be hard-pressed to picture a hard-nosed journalist convert to cooking and create such a loving, warm cookbook, Malouk successfully conveys his love and appreciation for the range of American desserts in "The Hummingbird Cookbook."
See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.
Red velvet cupcakes, smoothies and "Wendy's-inspired shakes" were found by the Fast Food Maven on Wednesday. The paper's Fast Food Maven uncovered the sweets and drinks at two California locations -- Buena Park and Tustin.
But don't go looking for these mystery desserts at your local Taco Bell outpost quite yet -- they may not even make it to the menu nationally. "The company doesn't comment on products in development," Rob Poetsch, a spokesman for Taco Bell, told Slashfood on Friday.
'Cupcakes!' Recipes by Elinor Klivans Photographs by France Ruffenach Chronicle Books -- 2005 Buy it on Amazon
Though they've long been a trendy fascination, cupcakes won't be budging anytime soon. With the eternal rounds of birthdays and celebrations -- paired with the treats' adorable-by-nature appeal -- miniature cakes are the darlings of bakers and eaters of all ages.
And although boxed mixes are tried-and-true, Elinor Klivan's "Cupcakes!" cookbook offers simple recipes that elevate the delicacy with new flavors and inspirations.
The book includes recipes for the beloved yellow batter and the traditional chocolate as well as more adventurous treats, like Banana Butterscotch or Sticky Fig. There are breakfast varieties (Lemon Poppy Seed, Top-to-Bottom Crumb), seasonal varieties (Spiderweb Pumpkin Ginger, Spring Bouquet), fruity varieties (Strawberry Shortcake, Lemon Angel), everyday varieties (Carrot, Orange and Golden Raisin) and deluxe varieties (Lemon Coconut Snowballs, Boston Cream Pie), all boasting equally appealing appearances and ingredient lists.
See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.
Whoever conceived the idea to bake individual cakes in muffin tins is a culinary genius -- not only for giving the world the perfect sugary serving size, but also for allowing bakers at every level to mix and match flavors, colors and the most fun part of any sweet treat, sprinkles.
This chocolate-frosted chocolate cupcake was one of a delightfully diverse dozen captured by The Feisty Foodie after she received a box from New York City's Billy's Bakery. Just looking at the chocolate triple whammy -- chocolate frosting on a chocolate cupcake with chocolate sprinkles on top -- is enough to get us through a midweek slump (though a taste would be even better).
'Cupcakes, Cupcakes & More Cupcakes' Recipes by Lilach German Photographs by Danya Weiner Imagine Publishing -- 2009 Buy it on Amazon
This book joins the club of an already saturated market of cupcake cookbooks. With ho-hum flavors like pumpkin, marzipan, blueberry and peanut butter and jelly, it proved a tad underwhelming.
On a positive note, one entire chapter is devoted to healthier cupcakes, including recipes that are whole wheat, dairy and gluten-free to please almost every palate. The remaining chapters are broken down into Classics, Cupcakes for Kiddies, Cupcake Celebrations and Cupcakes for Connoisseurs.
Takeaway tips: A basic cupcake essentials introduction includes a breakdown of Equipment 101 as well as dissection of ingredients and serving and storage suggestions. Most readers will find reading the ingredient section quite helpful. For example, many people use large eggs in baking recipes because that's what they typically pick up at the grocery store. Author Lilach German recommends using medium sized eggs that are cracked at room temperature.
See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.
While a picture can be worth a thousand words, it's a rare baked good that manages to be equally concise. So this cupcake, baked and photographed by Sarah of milk and honey cafe, is particularly special. It was made for a bridal shower, and is pretty much the edible equivalent of everything matrimonial. The creamy white frosting, the demure smidgen of pastel pink, the celebratory flair of its silver beads; it could almost be wearing a veil. Standing serenely on its white porcelain altar, this is a cupcake that all but says "I do."
'Martha Stewart's Cupcakes' Recipes from the editors of Martha Stewart Living Photographs by Con Poulos and others Clarkson Potter -- 2009 Buy it on Amazon
If there's one thing in the food blogosphere that provokes as strong a reaction as the words "Martha Stewart," it's "cupcake." So when we heard that Martha was busting out a brand-new book containing 175 of the suckers, we knew we had to get behind the scenes.
Martha's test kitchen cooks are both notoriously talented and fussy about their recipes, so we went straight to the top of the editorial food chain to find out which of the tome's 352 pages contained the best palm-sized cakes. (If you just can't wait, it's after the jump).
As with "Martha Stewart's Cookies," this is a thorough, imaginative and utterly vibrant paean to a beloved member of the baked goods family. The title truly does say it all: there's nothing but cupcakes as far as the eye can see. There's cupcake frosting, cupcake decorations, cupcakes for every season and occasion -- there's even a recipe for "Creepcakes" for, yes, Halloween. It's a candy-colored rebuke to the cupcake haters, those who view the craze as an infantile indulgence or see the diminutive desserts as the cloying, edible equivalent of those tiny dogs who travel around in handbags. Cupcakes, as done by Martha and her team, are a force to be reckoned with. The cover photo says it all: Cupcakes are here and they're not going anywhere, except maybe to your mouth.
See what we tested, what a top test-kitchen toque recommends and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.
If you're the sort of green-thinking cook who inwardly kvetches every time you toss out a paper cupcake wrapper or piece of plastic wrap, this is the video for you. In it, former StyleList blogger turned culinary vlogger Brigitte Dale dons a flowery apron to create "cupcones" -- cupcakes in cones, minus the "trash" of the wrapper -- with a sort of wide-eyed, pixielike zen: "If you know me, you know that I love cupcakes, and I love the Earth."
One part full-color, one part black-and-white film, this is notable both for its star's posturing and the sharp, cinematic edits. Randomly, it reminded us to click on over to check on a far more nutty food video star -- Thu Tran, whose "Food Party," we learned, has just been picked up by IFC. Congrats to Tran and her team of crazy bandits on the Willy Wonkian, Peewee's Playhousian show. The madness starts June 9.
As a kid, I was possessed by a raging sweet tooth. When I finally kicked that addiction, I thought my days of lavish baked goods were behind me, but it turns out that's not the case. However, now I'm not sitting down to eat a bunch in one sitting -- I'm a slave to making them.
With 12 friends who all have birthdays in May, this is the busiest baking month for me. The requests for my tender, moist, yellow cake layered thick with dark chocolate ganache, toasted coconut or dulce de leche filling start coming in around the end of April.
So much of baked goods' appeal hinges on their visual charm. Since my Granny passed on her cake decorating kit to me this year, I thought I'd see if I could remember what she taught me, even though I'm not an ace with the pastry bag like she is. I found that decorating cakes isn't hard, and you don't have to be a pro like Granny to make something simple and gorgeous for the birthday guy or gal.
Read on for Jennifer's sweet, simple cupcake recipes and decorating tips.
'Martha Stewart's Cupcakes'
What Can I Get You Folks? - Server Revenge
Reality-Show Celebrities Serve Up Chef Curtis Stone's 'Hundred-Dollar Burger'
Foods Celebrity Chefs Hate
