These fun chocolate flavoured Halloween cupcakes will keep trick or treaters happy on the spookiest night of the year. 

Ingredients  

• 115g caster sugar 
  
• 115g unsalted butter, softened
  
• 2 large eggs, beaten
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 50g dark chocolate, melted (see Tips)
  
• 115g self-raising flour
  
• 1-2 tbsp milk
  

For the buttercream and decoration: 

• 85g unsalted butter, softened
  
• 170g icing sugar
  
• 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder, mixed to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons hot water
  
• 50g dark chocolate, melted
  
• 24 edible spooky eyeballs (see Tips)
  
• 75g ready-to-roll white icing 
  
• Icing sugar, for dusting
  

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas Mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with 12 paper cupcake cases.
   
2. Place the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl and, using a hand-held electric whisk, beat together for 2-3 minutes until pale and creamy. Gradually whisk in the beaten eggs, adding a spoonful of the weighed-out flour if the mixture shows any signs of curdling. Whisk in the vanilla extract and the melted chocolate.
   
3. Sift over the rest of the flour and gently fold into the creamed mixture using a metal spoon. Fold in enough of the milk to give a soft dropping consistency. Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases. 
   
4. Bake the cupcakes for 18-22 minutes or until risen and just firm to the touch. Leave for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 
   
5. To make the chocolate buttercream, place the butter in a large mixing bowl and, using a hand-held electric whisk, beat for a few minutes until the butter is very soft and creamy. Gradually sift in the icing sugar, beating well after each addition then beat in the cocoa paste.
   
6. Spread an even layer of chocolate buttercream over the top of each cupcake. Spoon the melted chocolate into a small disposable piping bag fitted with a fine plain piping nozzle. Pipe three concentric circles on one of the cupcakes. Gently draw the tip of a cocktail stick through the circles from the centre outwards at intervals to create a spider’s web pattern. Repeat with another 5 cupcakes. Add two spooky eyeballs to each one.
   
7. Thinly roll out the ready-to-roll icing on a surface dusted with icing sugar. Cut into thin strips and arrange six strips in a zig-zag pattern over each of the six remaining cupcakes to resemble bandages. Trim the edges and add two spooky eyeballs to each one. 
   

Tips: 

• To melt the chocolate, break into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Microwave on Medium-High for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30-40 seconds until melted and smooth. Or set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and leave until just melted, then stir until smooth.
  
• Look out for packs of multi-coloured or white edible eyeballs in larger supermarkets near the baking ingredients. If unavailable, roll tiny balls of left-over white icing and flatten, then dot with a little black edible writing icing or black food colouring.
  
• The undecorated cupcakes can be made ahead and frozen for up to one month. Decorated they will keep for 2-3 days stored in an airtight container in a cool place.