Prep time:

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Total time:

Serves: 12

200g self raising flour

200g sugar

200g softened butter

3 eggs

½tsp vanilla essence

1tbsp milk (more if needed)

For the frosting:

100g cream cheese

100g softened butter

120g icing sugar

½tsp vanilla essence

black, purple (and or other colours) food colouring

small pack black roll out fondant icing

mini marshmallows

strawberry laces and other sweets for decorating

These are surprisingly easy to make – to be quite honest, any combination of ghoulishly coloured icing and lurid sweets will go down well. Let your imagination run wild and get monstrously creative. Pre-heat oven to gas 4/160˚C. Line cupcake or muffin tin with paper cases. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and beat … Continue reading "Black Cat, Bat & Toothsome Cupcakes"

These are surprisingly easy to make – to be quite honest, any combination of ghoulishly coloured icing and lurid sweets will go down well. Let your imagination run wild and get monstrously creative.

  1. Pre-heat oven to gas 4/160˚C. Line cupcake or muffin tin with paper cases. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and beat together in a mixer or with a whisk, adding a little milk until the mixture reaches a slow dropping consistency.
  2. Spoon into paper cases and bake in the centre of the oven for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden (check after 15 minutes as ovens vary – a fan oven will be quicker).
  3. Make the frosting while the cakes are cooling. Beat together cream cheese, softened butter, icing sugar. Divide into smaller bowls and add colours of choice.
  4. To make cat faces, use slices of mini marshmallows for eyes, strawberry laces for whiskers and a little black fondant icing for ears and pupils. I used tiny segments of liquorice allsorts for noses and tongues. Cut ghoulish shapes from fondant for other cakes and decorate with sweets.


Courgette, garlic & chilli crostini

This easy, healthy but-so-delicious courgette dip is gorgeous on crostini or pairs beautifully with crisps or cucumber to dunk. Perfect with drinks and the best way to start an evening. Prepare well ahead so it has time to chill –...

Roast beetroot & goats cheese salad with maple roasted spicy nuts

Roasting beetroots is so easy and the beautiful earthy flavour works so well with the candied nuts, bitter leaves and creamy tangy goats cheese. All the elements can be prepared well in advance and put together quickly before serving. This...

Beef daube

This stunning Provençal beef casserole is lovely to have with friends. Make it on Saturday morning to enjoy in the evening or on Sunday – it also freezes beautifully. The long, slow cook makes the beef meltingly soft, and this...