Halloween Owl Cupcakes

halloween owl cupcakes

When I came across this fun treat, it’s hard to not gather my little ones and get some fun. The owl decoration is so cleverly simple that my 3-year-old was having no problem doing it all by himself. And my 1-year-old…having no problem finishing the other sides of the Oreos that we didn’t need.

Ingredients (12 regular-sized cupcakes):
Quick Chocolate Cupcake with Nutella
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water mixed with 2 tablespoons espresso powder
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Nutella
Owl Decoration
24 pieces Oreo cookies
24 brown or black M&M’s
12 orange M&M’s

Directions:
Grease muffin tin or line with muffin liners.
To prepare cupcakes, in a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix together espresso, vinegar, vanilla and oil.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture, mix until just blended.
Divide the batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Spread Nutella on top of each cupcake.
Separate the Oreos, then push a brown M&M’s on each halve with the white filling. Place 2 Oreo eyes onto the cupcake. Then put an orange M&M’s on its side between the eyes to make the owl beak.

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My Best Easy Pizza Dough

I’ve tried and tried and tried lots of recipes over the year to find the perfect pizza dough. Sadly, it’s either too tough to work with, not rising, or the crust simply tasted like a piece of cardboard.

My motivation to get me keep trying was my son’s obsession for pizza. I wanted him to be that same crazy when he’s eating my home-made pizza. And finally I’ve come to this one which he cheerfully calls Mommy Pizza. The key is to give time to proof the dough. Cliché! I know. But my house is kind of cold, the typically required 2-hour rising time was never enough. I prepare my dough in the morning, and let it rise throughout the day! Yes, at least 8 hours.

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