Yields: 24 cupcakes
2-1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
5 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 c granulated sugar
2 lg eggs
2 tbsp McCormick red food coloring
1 tsp McCormick pure vanilla extract
1 c low-fat buttermilk
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)
24 Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Black Decorating Gel
144 (3-inch) pieces Black Licorice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two muffin tins with liners and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, Kosher salt and baking soda.
Using a mixer, beat butter with the granulated sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, food coloring and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk until smooth.
Pour batter evenly into cupcake liners, then bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry, 18 to 20 minutes (depending on your oven). Remove the cupcakes and cool completely on a wire rack. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.
~~~
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 (16 oz) box Confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp McCormick pure vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix well. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes, then top each one with a chocolate sandwich cookie.
Using a sandwich bag, snip a tiny corner off (or fit with a coupler and round tip) and fill the bag with a bit of cream cheese frosting. Pipe two dots onto the edge of each chocolate sandwich cookie for the eyes. Next, with the black decorating gel, pipe two smaller black dots onto the white dots for the pupils. For the legs, cut licorice in 3″ pieces, then stick three ‘legs’ into the frosting underneath both sides of the cookie.
