Red Velvet Halloween Cupcakes

Ingredients - serves 12

75g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

1 tsp red food colouring

2 tsp vanilla extract

15g cocoa powder

125ml buttermilk

175g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp white wine vinegar

Filling and Frosting

1 jar dulce de leche

150g unsalted butter

400g icing sugar

3 tsp vanilla extract

1/2-1 tsp orange food colouring

Halloween sprinkles

Method 

To make these incredible Halloween cupcakes, preheat your oven to gas mark 4/180c. Line a muffin tin with 12 Halloween-themed muffin cases. Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl and add the eggs then beat again. In a small bowl mix the red food colouring and vanilla extract together to make a paste, then add this to the sugar and butter mixture, mixing well.

Next mix in the cocoa powder and pour in half the buttermilk, mix well. Now mix in half the flour and remaining buttermilk and mix. Now add the final half of flour and mix well again. Finally mix in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar until you have a smooth mixture. Spoon evenly into the muffin cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they are well risen and springy to the touch. Insert a skewer if you are not too sure to make sure they are cooked. Leave to cool completely.

Cream the butter in a large bowl and in additions sift in the icing sugar until you have a pipeable frosting. Now mix in the vanilla extract and orange food colouring until you get the colour you want, then place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with whichever nozzle you like.

Cut a hole in the centre of each cupcake but keep the tops. Spoon in 1.5 tsp of dulce de leche and replace the tops. Pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake and then sprinkle over some Halloween sprinkles. Top with a pumpkin topper if you like and serve with a cup of tea for a spookily delicious Halloween treat.