BlogOween: Candy Corn Cupcakes

Via

With Halloween right around the corner (which I seriously dont know how that happened) I thought it would be fun to do a lot more Halloween themed type blog posts. Of course I need to give it a fun name as well...BlogOween it is. And what better way to kick this off than with cupcakes...yum.

Via Pinterest

Unlike the first photo I think I might actually be able to pull this one off. Simple yet festive and cute.

Via

Hmmm...I may be able to pull this one off...just need some good ole food coloring.

Via Pinterest

Okay, this has got to be the Over Achievement Candy Corn Cupcake...at least that is what I would call it. This seriously is a candy corn covered strawberry on top of a Halloween cupcake...whew....

Via Pinterest.

XoXo.

A Pinterest Story: Ode to the Pumpkin

 October is the spotlight month for pumpkins. Any other time of the year and they are just a large orange-y fleshed fruit with an unsightly rind. But 3 months before Christmas, the Pumpkin takes on a whole new meaning. They shine, glisten, sparkle, spook and conjure up the imagination of adults and children alike. Rows upon rows of pumpkins in every shape and size take a hold of October and claim it their time to dress up and take charge.

 The spray painted pumpkins (doubles as a house marker).

 The Initials (glowing).

 The Art Deco.

 The Glam.

 The Bedazzled and Bejeweled.

The Preppy.

The Apartment Complex.

The Sparkles (doubles as a centerpiece).

 And last but certainly not least the Au Naturale.

So their it was...the Ode to the Pumpkin. Thank you Pinterest for allowing the pumpkin its rightful spotlight (all pictures taken from Pinterest).

XoXo

Happy Halloween from Mrs. Mummy Talk

Hafe a safe and happy Halloween 2011.

Love,

Mrs Mummy Talk & Little Z

Picture

DIY: GraveYard Plot Cupcakes

A easy, fun DIY Halloween cupcake activity that the kids can participate in! As you can see above we got a little tired of writing RIP on all the headstones so we got imaginative and put some ghost and pumpkin faces on some of them. Hey its Halloween, you can be as creative as you want.

The Plots ( Chocolate Cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

How To:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or with butter and a little bit of flour. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. 

The Dirt ( Frosting & Topping)

Your plot (cupcake) will be topped with soil (frosting & oreos). I went with a cream cheese frosting which is really easy to work with. Once its time to top each cooled cupcake with the frosting you can put your frosting into a ziplock bag and zip the corner edge off for easy frosting. This works wonders and no expensive piping bag  is needed.

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

About 20 oreos, with filling scraped out. Take your oreos sans filling and put them in a ziplock bag. Crush them up into a fine texture (its ok to have a few chunky pieces left).

Beat cream cheese with your mixer until smooth and creamy. Add in butter and vanilla. Mix this at a medium to high speed. Lastly, add in your powdered sugar a little bit at a time and voila you have homemade frosting. Frost your cooled cupcakes and generously douse each one with your crushed oreos...errrr dirt.

The Headstones

You will need a bag of Milano cookies and a black gel icing tube. Cut 1/4 end off of each Milano cookie. Use your black gel icing tube to write on each headstone. Place cookie firmly into the icing. Voila!

Place finished cupcakes on a cupcake stand or on a platter and garnish platter with remaining crushed oreos for a very earthy graveyard appearance.

I had left over chocolate cupcake batter, so I quickly whipped up a vanilla cupcake batter, dyed it orange with food coloring (yellow + red) and created a Halloween themed marbled cupcake. Those are the ones you see below mixed in with my extra GraveYard Plot cupcakes.

Eat & Enjoy.

Happy Haunts.

Pumpkins: More Than Just a Carving

This time of the month is all about the pumpkin. Halloween pumpkins, pumpkin patches, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spiced lattes...well you get the point. Is their anything else that can be done with this edible orange tradition we call a pumpkin. Yes....oh yes their is.

You can do fairytale re-creations with pumpkins if scary is not your forte. Pic found here.

We have pumpkin soup in a ...well in a pumpkin. Pic found here.

This pumpkin is about to become a punch bowl or a drink holder. Pic found here.

My personal favorite, pumpkin custard inside a pumpkin! Pic found here.

I just realized all my pumpkin pictures have to do with food. Ooops. =)

Kill My Diet Now: Halloween Cupcakes

Today's Halloween themed post is all about cupcakes! I absolutely must make some sort of Halloween themed cupcakes this year. As my mouth is watering looking at these pictures I just need to decide which ones to attempt. I found the above picture on Pinterest and my brain is straining to figure out how they got that perfect pumpkin shape.

Im a huge cupcake in a jar fan. Like huge. I think the possibilities when you take a Mason jar and a cupcake are endless. I might just do a post one day all about jars of cupcakes. I love making these. These festive ones came from Glorious Treats.

I love owls. I love cupcakes. Enough said.

Im from Pinterest.

I absolutely adore this black and orange marbled cupcake. I think I may just have to go for these ones and then get creative with the frosting and toppings. Can I just say one more time how much I love cupcakes?

Hauntingly Cute Decor

Ok with Halloween right around the corner I need to do a Halloween themed blog everyday until Halloween. Holidays are way to fun too not blog about as much as possible. =) Yesterday I blogged about some super cute baby cosutumes that I have been loving and today I want to share with you all my favorite Halloween themed decor. Its such spooky fun and I so wish I had time to make each and every one of these items. You can find out how to make the above burlap Halloween wreath here.

This candy corn candle holder idea is way too easy for me to not try out!

These black paper bats would be perfect for a kids halloween party. You can read a bit more about how to construct these here. They actually used black poster board on theirs but I was thinking you could do this with black construction paper you have laying around the house as well.

Buttons and bows on a pumpkin? Ingenius. I found this picture on Better Homes & Garden. They have some adorable pumpkin decorating ideas.

If you have done any Halloweed decorating and/or crafts lately please share! Leave a link to your post below or email me your pictures so I can feature them on here.

Happy Haunting.

SpookTacular Baby Costumes

Ok, so they may not be spooky but they are pretty darn cute. I have been saving picures I have found of baby cosume ideas for Halloween. Thought I would share the cuteness. Enjoy.

Have a cute costume pic? Email it to me so I can share it on here. =)


First picture from Pinterest.
Second picture from here.
Third picture from here.
Fourth picture from here.

Fall Photography Checklist...

Their is something about the Fall/Autumn season that makes me want to pull out my camera and take pictures of cornfields, red dilapidated barns, pumpkin patches and foggy night skies. With a white peppermint mocha in one hand and my camera in the other hand and my camera in the other, a lonely bench or golden colored tree suddenly becomes magical during this time of the year. It is my first Fall season being a mom and that makes me want to capture my little one in the essence of Autumn. I literally want to cut open a pumpkin and put her in it and sit it in a large empty field and snap away. I just might do that and share my pictures with you. I am excited at the prospect of this seasons photo oppurtunites with my little girl.

Check out this amazing Fall Photo Checklist from Pinterest to help organize/inspire your Fall photo session.  Anything you would add to the list?