Vampire Zee Cupcakes

These fang-tastic cupcakes will have Halloween party guests squealing with delight...not fright. Each jumbo cupcake serves two children.

Moose & Zee are your hosts every day on Nick Jr.

Ingredients

• 1 box (18 oz.) yellow cake mix
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups dark-chocolate candy melting wafers
• 1 can (16 oz.) vanilla frosting
• blue food coloring
• 1 cup blue M&M's
• 6 yellow fruit chews (starburst)
• 12 each green and orange spice drops
• 48 thin pretzel sticks
• 24 large white candies, (Mentos)
• 24 blue, 24 brown, and 12 yellow mini M&M's
• 6 red spice drops
• 12 pink flower-shaped candies

Supplies

• Jumbo cupcake pans
• 12 jumbo cupcake liners
• Vampire Zee Cupcake Template
• Wax paper
• Resealable plastic freezer bags

Directions

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 jumbo cupcake cups with paper liners. Combine the cake mix, buttermilk, eggs, and oil in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to combine. Increase speed to medium high and beat 2 minutes longer. Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake pans. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

2. Step 2

   Using the cupcake template, place the cape templates onto a sheet pan, and cover with wax paper. Place the melting chocolate wafers into a small bowl and microwave until smooth, about 1 minute. Spoon the melted chocolate into a 1-qt. freezer-weight resealable bag. Snip a very small corner, about 1/8 inch, from the bag with the chocolate. Pipe the outline of the templates and fill with more chocolate. Tap the sheet pan to make the tops smooth. Place the pan in the refrigerator until set, about 5 minutes. Repeat with more wax paper to make 12 sets.

3. Step 3

   Spoon 1/2 cup of the vanilla frosting into a resealable bag. Tint the remaining vanilla frosting a bright blue with the food coloring. Remove 2 tbsp. of the blue frosting and tint a darker blue. Spoon into a resealable bag.

4. Step 4

   Cut the yellow fruit chews into quarters and shape into twelve 1/2-inch triangles. Flatten and cut the spice drops into 12 sets of flower stem and leaf, Zee's feet, and red scarf. (See the templates.)

5. Step 5

   Frost the top of the cupcakes with the bright blue frosting. Snip a small corner from the bags with the frostings. Pipe the bottom third of the cupcakes with the white frosting. Carefully peel the chocolate pieces from the wax paper. Insert the chocolate pieces into the edge of the cupcakes, using the thin pretzel sticks to help support them. Press a row of blue candies along the top edge of the cupcake. Add the candy decorations for the eyes, beak, flower, scarf, and feet. Pipe dark blue eye brows and flower center. Spread a small amount of bright blue frosting for the wing tips.

Nurtition Facts

• Calories: 349
• Total Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 38mg
• Sodium: 191mg
• Total Carbs: 54g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 45g
• Protein: 3g