Black Cat Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep: 45 mins
Start to Finish: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

3/4 cup Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)
24 small yellow gumdrops
Black licorice laces
12 standard-size cupcakes
1 cup chocolate sprinkles
24 chocolate Candy Melts or chocolate coating dots

Directions

1. Fit a piping bag with a #4 plain tip and fill with 1/4 cup frosting; set aside. To make eyes, cut an 1/8-inch thick slice off the larger end of each gumdrop; add a small piece of licorice lace to the cut side of each slice. For ears, cut chocolate coating dots into triangle shapes with a paring knife. Cut licorice laces into 1-1/2- to 2-inch lengths for whiskers.

2. Frost cupcakes; coat generously with chocolate sprinkles. Insert ears into the icing of each cupcake, add whiskers and eyes and pipe a frosting nose. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Nutrition Facts

Calories(kcal)532,
Protein(gm)4,
Carbohydrate(gm)76,
Fat, total(gm)26,
Cholesterol(mg)81,
Saturated fat(gm)13,
Monosaturated fat(gm)5,
Polyunsaturated fat(gm)3,
Dietary Fiber, total(gm)1,
Sugar, total(gm)59,
Vitamin A(IU)583,
Thiamin(mg)0,
Riboflavin(mg)0,
Niacin(mg)1,
Pyridoxine (Vit. B6)(mg)0,
Folate(�g)4,
Cobalamin (Vit. B12)(�g)0,
Sodium(mg)279,
Potassium(mg)104,
Calcium(DV %)30,
Iron(DV %)1,
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
4 cups (1 lb) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 - 4 tablespoons milk

Directions

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese together until creamy, about 2 min. Stir in cocoa. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well. Beat in vanilla extract and milk and stir until smooth. Can be refrigerated up to one week; bring to room temperature and stir before using. Makes 3 cups.