Berry Spooky Cupcakes

Cupcakes

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
2. LINE 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. PLACE 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour into a large bowl.
4. ADD 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. WHISK to combine ingredients and SET ASIDE flour mixture.
6. PRESS raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl and DISCARD seeds.
7. MEASURE OUT 1/3 cup of puree and PLACE into a separate small bowl. (RESERVE remaining puree for frosting and SET ASIDE.)
8. ADD 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
9. STIR to combine ingredients.
10. SET ASIDE raspberry mixture.
11. PLACE 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer.
12. ADD 1 stick butter.
13. BEAT ingredients 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
14. ADD 3 eggs, one at a time, with mixer on low speed and SCRAPE DOWN sides of bowl as needed.
15. ADD 1/3 of flour mixture to mixing bowl and BEAT just until combined. Do not overmix.
16. ADD 1/2 of raspberry mixture to mixing bowl and BEAT just until combined. Do not overmix.
17. ADD half of remaining flour mixture to mixing bowl and BEAT just until combined. Do not overmix.
18. ADD remaining raspberry mixture to mixing bowl and BEAT just until combined. Do not overmix.
19. ADD remaining flour mixture to mixing bowl and BEAT just until combined. Do not overmix.
20. DIVIDE batter evenly between prepared muffin cups.
21. BAKE 23 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
22. REMOVE cupcakes from pans and COOL completely on wire rack.

Frosting

1. PLACE 12 ounces cream cheese into a medium bowl.
   
2. ADD 10 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
3. BEAT ingredients with an electric mixer until blended.
4. ADD 2 ½ cups confectioners' sugar.
5. BEAT again on low until combined.
6. DIVIDE frosting in half between 2 bowls.
7. STIR one tablespoon reserved raspberry puree into one bowl to create pink frosting.
8. ADD additional puree for a darker color if desired.

Raspberry Reduction

1. PRESS raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl and DISCARD seeds.
2. TRANSFER puree to small saucepan.
3. ADD 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water.
4. BRING to a boil over medium heat.
5. COOK, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduced by half.
6. ALLOW to cool completely.
7. TRANSFER raspberry reduction to a small piping bag or sandwich bag.

Decoration

1. FROST cupcakes with white and pink cream cheese frosting.
2. PIPE concentric circles on top of cupcakes with alternate color frosting or raspberry reduction.
3. USE a toothpick to gently drag icing from center to outside edge to create spider web design.
4. REMOVE one cupcake top with a serrated knife and CUT bat wings from top of cupcake.
5. USE blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and, decorating gel to create spiders or bats.
6. DIP edges of cupcakes in sprinkles to finish edges.
7. SERVE immediately.