Spooky blackberry cupcakes with marshmallow skulls recipe

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 3, 170°C, fan 150°C. Line two mini cupcake tins with 24 mini paper cupcake cases. Set aside 3 blackberries and cut the remaining 8 into thirds; put one third in the base of each cupcake case.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and butter. Beat, with an electric whisk, for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Fold in the flour and milk, and then divide the mixture between the paper cases. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until risen, golden and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
4. For the frosting, heat the pink marshmallows in a microwave-proof bowl for 30-50 seconds, until just melted. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, roughly mash the reserved blackberries.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the melted marshmallows, vanilla, food colouring and crushed blackberries and continue beating to form a thick and shiny icing. Chill for 10 minutes.
6. To make the marshmallow skulls, cut out a mouth at the thin end of each white marshmallow using scissors. Using a clean paintbrush, dab the melted chocolate on to each marshmallow skull to make eyes and a nose. Using a sharp knife, cut out a shallow disc from each cooled cake about the size of a 1p piece. Spread half a tsp of icing over each cake, filling the dent and covering the surrounding surface. Nestle a marshmallow skull in the dent of each iced cake and leave to set. Serve.

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