All treats, no tricks Tieghan Gerard is getting into the spooky spirit with a killer cupcake recipe — and her inspiration is one all Halloween lovers can relate to.
“The recipe is inspired by Hocus Pocus, which is a Halloween classic and one of my favorite movies,” the Half Baked HarvestIn the latest issue, a cookbook author is revealed Use Weekly. “The cupcake itself is made with brown sugar, pumpkin, and of course, plenty of pumpkin spice. And the frosting is a nice and simple cream cheese frosting that goes perfectly.”
Gerard’s Black Cat Pumpkin Cupcakes are decorated to emulate the frightening felines, but there’s nothing scary about the recipe itself. Making the food guru’s dessert is guaranteed to be a hit with the whole family. “It’s a great way to get [kids] involved in the baking fun,” she told Us.
After starting her online business, the Ohio native has gained a large following. Half Baked Harvestblog in 2012, and her culinary talent has only increased. She’s been featured on The Cooking Channel, Food Network, HGTV and more and has penned multiple cookbooks with hundreds of delicious meals for fans to try at home.
Gerard’s latest recipe guide, Half Baked Harvest Everyday, quickly became a New York TimesIt was a bestseller when it hit shelves on March. “With Every Day, I wanted to create recipes that are adaptable for everyone. I brought more color into the recipes and focused on flavor,” she told GlamourAt the moment. “There are lots of different vegetables and whole grains. You’re meant to cook the recipes and enjoy them with your friends and family.”
From Blueberry-Lavender Cake to Crispy Baked Prosciutto Breakfast Cups, the blogger’s new cookbook has a little something for everyone — without skimping on flavor and fun.
Keep scrolling to learn how to make Gerard’s Black Cat Pumpkin Cupcakes just in time for Halloween, and pick up the latest issue of Us WeeklyMore holiday inspiration:
Ingredients:
½ cup melted coconut oil (or melted butter)
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs at room temperature
1½ cups pumpkin puree
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
For Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
2 sticks (16 tbsp).
salted butter at room temp
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
For decorating:
Black food coloring, activated charcoal
White chocolate melted
Gold sanding sugar
Black sanding sugar
Black sprinkles
Black licorice, cut in 1-inch strips
Toothpicks
Instructions:
1. Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees. Line 16 cupcake molds in paper liners.
2. Use a stand mixer or a hand-held mixer to combine the coconut oil, brown sugar and vanilla. Add the flour and pumpkin spice. Mix until the batter is smooth.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops are set and not wilting in the middle. Let cool.
4. Make the frosting by beating the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer until it is light and fluffy. This should take about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Add 1 tablespoon of activated carbon or a few drops black food coloring. Beat for another 2 to 3 minutes until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.
5. To make the cat’s ears: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the melted chocolate in Ziploc bags and cut off a corner. Pipe two small triangles and fill them with chocolate. Each triangle should have one toothpick. Sprinkle some gold sugar on the chocolate and trace the triangle with the chocolate. Sprinkle black sugar over the outside chocolate. Repeat this process until you have 16 sets of ears.
6. To make the cat’s eyes: Draw two small dots with the white chocolate. Sprinkle each one with gold sugar and one black sprinkle in its center. Repeat until you have 16 sets. For 15 minutes, place ears and eyes in the freezer.
7. To pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, use a small star-shaped piping tip or a knife. Sprinkle each cupcake lightly in black sugar. For the nose, add a dot of frosting to the middle of each cupcake.
8. Grab the ears from the freezer and the eyes. Place the ears on the cupcake’s side and then the eyes on top. As whiskers, place licorice along the nose.
