Every year we have the same Halloween decorations. The same Halloween treats. The same Halloween candies. This year I wanted to try something different. It’s still a treat but it’s far more creative: owl cupcakes! I should start by saying that I do not have the most experience with baked goods, but, for those who might also fit this description, you should know that this recipe is very easy to follow. First you have to make the cake part. I decided to use a recipe that my mom almost always uses and I have greatly grown to love. The recipe makes 12 vanilla cupcakes and goes as follows:

Ingredients:

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter sticks

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ cups flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉
2. Find a tray that will fit 12 cupcakes and insert paper baking cups in each spot
3. Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer until the batter is creamy and light
4. Once finished, divide batter into the 12 cupcake baking cups
5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack

While the cupcakes were baking in the oven, I began making the icing. This is another recipe that my mom once found, this one online and from Betty Crocker, that is also very simple to follow along to:

Ingredients:

3 cups powdered sugar

⅓ cup butter softened

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

1 cup milk

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix the powdered sugar and the butter with an electric mixer at a slow speed
2. Add the vanilla and a teaspoon of the milk. You will gradually add the remaining milk so that the frosting becomes thicker
3. Once cupcakes are out of the oven, cover them with the frosting
4. To make the icing brown, add food coloring until you get the color you want

A note on the second step: I added too much milk and it became very liquidy. If this should happen to you, simply add more powdered sugar until you get the thickness that you desire for the icing. Another thing to note is about the food coloring. To make brown you have to mix red, yellow and blue together. This was probably the most difficult part since I did not know the ratios of the colors to use. If you would like to just avoid this entirely, you could substitute chocolate frosting for the vanilla, but I do not actually have a recipe for that.

The last part that you have to take care of is actually making them look like owls. For this all you need is a bunch of oreo cookies and a lot of m&m’s. You have to split the oreos apart and only use the ones with the frosting on them. From there you pick out the colored m&m’s you want and then put them on the cookies. For the nose, use either a yellow or an orange candy and put it in between the eyes. Once you have followed all these steps you have finished your cupcakes. Enjoy this sweet treat for this year’s Halloween!