Halloween recipe : Spider cupcakes

If you want a cute rather than scary or gruesome Halloween treat to bake with the kids, these spider cupcakes from Rachel's are perfect. We had great fun making - and eating ! - them. Pierre did all the decorating himself, and, as you can see from his face, he was very pleased with the end result !

Spider cupcakes

Ingredients for Cakes

 100g plain chocolate

 150g unsalted butter, softened

 150g caster sugar

 20g cocoa, sifted

 3 eggs, beaten

 125g self raising flour

1 ½tsp baking powder

 2 tbsp Rachel’s Greek Style natural yogurt

Ingredients for Frosting

4tbsp golden syrup

80ml double cream

 100g milk chocolate

100g plain chocolate

3tbsp Rachel’s Greek Style natural yogurt

Ingredients for Decoration

 Chocolate sugar strands/sprinkles (optional)

Smarties or similar sweets (for the eyes)

 Liquorice laces or Catherine wheels for the legs

Makes: 12 cakes

First job, melt the chocolate (and try to keep your mini-helper's fingers out of the bowl !). This chocolate doesn't get another mention in the official recipe provided by Rachel's so I just added it to the mix at the same time as the yogurt.

Cream together the butter and sugar.

Add the eggs and cocoa then the flour and baking powder.

Pour in the creamy Rachel's Greek style yogurt and the melted chocolate.

Give it all a good mix and pour into silicon muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes until risen and firm to touch. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile in a small bowl, gently heat the icing ingredients (except the yogurt). Either do this in a microwave, on medium power, or over a pan of simmering water, until the chocolate has melted. Leave to cool then add the yogurt. The frosting should be soft but not runny.

Use sweets to decorate (we don't like licorice so used fizzy bootlaces for the legs instead).

For more recipe ideas, head over to www.rachelsorganic.co.uk/recipes/.

Disclosure : We received some Rachel's vouchers to buy yogurt for the recipe.