Halloween Idea: Spider Web Cupcake Toppers

Know what I learned today?  No matter how hideous a cupcake recipe turns out, as long as you have a great frosting and some cute decorations, no one will ever know.  I wasted a bunch of butter and time (thanks a lot, Martha), but oh well - the point of today's baking extravaganza was to show you an easy Halloween idea, hurrah!

I invited the neighbor girls over to play with frosting and chocolate, and we had so much fun!  All you need to transform a cupcake into a festive Halloween treat is some melting chocolate and a squeeze bottle.  (You can find both at a craft store, like Michaels.)  The girls made all the cupcake toppers, and I created a base and a topper for a mini-cake.

Chocolate Spider Webs

Melting/Dipping chocolates (like Wilton or my fave, Chocoley)

Squeeze bottle

Parchment paper or wax paper

Cookie sheet or cutting board

1.  You can print out spider web templates or free hand them onto a sheet of paper.

2.  Place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper over the template and place both onto a cookie sheet.

3.  Melt chocolates according to package directions, and pour into a squeeze bottle.

4.  Squeeze melted chocolate evenly along the template.

5.  Place cookie sheet and parchment paper with melted chocolate web into the freezer for one minute or until hardened.

6.  Remove from freezer and carefully peel the chocolate web off the paper.  

7.  Carefully press the chocolate shape into soft frosting on a cupcake, showing the reverse smooth side of the chocolate shape if desired.

The girls had the awesome idea of making spider shapes too!

They made the spiders separate from the web pieces, and then glued

the spider to top of the web with a small dot of frosting.

I made two large chocolate webs - one for the bottom of the cake and one for the top.

Then, I made a smaller web to accent the top of the cake.