Halloween Recipe Review: Easy Mummy Cupcakes

This isn't so much of a recipe review as it is some tips and words of encouragement.  I am by no means a cake decorator.  I am just an average mom who likes baking and making treats for her kids.  So, while something like this LOOKS really simple, I know for me, it sure isn't going to come out looking like the picture.  I think that is where most of us "pinners" fit in.  We love the look of all the beautiful foods and treats, but really are unsure of whether or not it is within our capabilities.  I am basically here to say if I can do it, you can do it!

Honestly, do you want to know my secret to delicious cupcakes?  Every time I make these, I am complimented on how good they are.  They are light and fluffy, yet still chocolaty.  I have tried other recipes.  You know, ones that claim to be the "best ever chocolate cake recipe", and I always come back to this.  Here's my secret:

I kid you not.  Make it exactly how it says on the package and you will not be disappointed.

I wanted to send these in to my son's class for a Halloween treat.  I also know the teacher would appreciate my gesture a lot more if I didn't send in enormous iced cupcakes.  You know what sugar does to kids.  This box makes A LOT of mini cupcakes.  I was tired of them after about 48 and I knew I had enough, so I made 5 large cupcakes with the rest.  That's a lot of cupcakes!

I usually have such a hard time finding candy eyeballs at Halloween.  This year, I found a vial of them at the Dollar Tree.  I contemplated getting 2, then like an idiot thought, NAH, I WON'T NEED THESE.  Wrong.  I ran out towards the end.  Guess what happened when I went back to get more.  You guessed it!  All gone.  Lesson learned - spend the extra $1.25 even if you think you won't need it.  Don't be a cheapskate.

I also cheated and didn't make the icing.  Homemade icing is so much better, but I thought it would just be easier to get a really white icing if I bought it.  As you can see below, the icing I bought didn't turn out to be white.

I began by "gluing" on the eyeballs with icing.  Give yourself enough room so you can fit some icing bandages on the forehead. Doesn't he look sad without his bandages?

 I just used a flat tipped icing end, and away I went.  You kind of have to get into a rhythm when you are doing these.  Do a couple passes on the forehead, and then come down around one side of the eyes.  Do another pass or two on the forehead and come down the other side of the eyes.  After that, you just fill in the bottom, back and forth.  Be careful not to cover up the eyeballs when you are coming down the side.  I did that several times.  Remember? I'm no expert. Here is one close up, so you can see all the imperfections.

They look much better in a group! But, as you can plainly see, some look better than others.  You can see my blunder of covering up the eyes on a couple of them.

Also, it is best to keep these chilled.  As the icing starts to warm, it starts to lose its "bandage" look because it all just kind of blends in.

I don't think they turned out too badly.  No, they don't look as good as the pictures on Pinterest.  But, this is how mine looked.  They still look like mummies, so mission accomplished.  They were fairly easy to make.  I do believe even someone who has never iced a cupcake could pull these off. 

What to look up on Pinterest: Easy mummy cupcakes
Pros: This is a really easy "recipe" to throw together if you used a box cake mix, and premade icing, you can make these large cupcakes or mini cupcakes
Cons: these do still take a lot of time to make once you consider all that icing you have to do - especially if you aren't an expert at icing (like me)
Would I make these again? I think I would.  In the end, they are fairly easy to make and you do get a really spooky Halloween cupcake out of it!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Recipe Review: Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

I tried these on a whim.  Basically, I had accidentally bought a bag of sweetened coconut, rather than the unsweetened I needed for a different recipe, and I needed to use it up.  Also, it doesn't hurt to try something that isn't chocolate every once in a while.

I wanted to say I followed the recipe exactly, and I almost did.  Sadly, when I went to make them, I realized I only had about half a cup of white sugar left.  The recipe called for 1 cup, so I just substituted that extra half cup with more brown sugar.  I don't think it made much of a difference, so I am just going to post the recipe exactly as it was written. Also, here is the original link:
Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup coconut

1. Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Spoon onto baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

I actually ended up baking these for about 11 minutes.  I don't think my oven runs as hot as others.  After 11 minutes, they were a nice light brown on the bottom, but definitely not ready to take off the pan.  Let them sit for at least 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack.

 

Here is my process.  Sometimes, it's nice to see pictures of how another person's process goes just so know you are on the right track.

 

Here's where I thought I may have fallen off that track.  I was simply creaming the butter and the sugar, and I couldn't get the chunks out of the butter.  Maybe it was too cold when I put it in there.  I thought it was room temperature, but maybe the room was cold ;).  Anyway, I am here to tell you not to worry if this happens to you.  It made NO difference.  All was well.

 

 

Here is the dough with everything added.  It's just one big chunky mess anyway. I mean that in a good way.

 

 

This is the point I almost always second guess myself.......the size to make the cookies.  This recipe ended up making 36 (well 35 if I am being honest) good sized cookies.  I fit twelve to a pan.  I didn't flatten them or anything of the sort. 



 

I think they came out great!

 

I took a couple out for each kid for an after school snack.  No, these aren't the healthiest, but nice for a treat.  I always know if my baking is a hit if I find myself yelling at my boys to keep their little paws out of the cookie tin.  Yes, I did hear myself ever so kindly telling them to stay out of the tin.  I would say these have definitely passed my pintest!

 

 

What to search for on Pinterest: Coconut Oatmeal Cookies (or see link above).

Pros: Fairly quick to make, delicious, not your regular chocolate chip cookie, easy

Cons: Not your regular chocolate chip cookie (I know. I am contradicting myself.)

Would I make these again: Yes, however, I would probably add chocolate chips.  Don't they just make EVERYTHING better?