Halloween Pumpkin Spiced Cupcakes

Step 01

Heat the oven to 170C fan/gas 5. Mix all the pumpkin spice ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Step 02

Put the butter and both sugars into a large mixing bowl and beat together with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add the flour, eggs, 2 tbsp of the pumpkin spice mix and vanilla extract, then mix again until smooth and fully incorporated.

Step 03

Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes have risen and are golden. They should spring back when gently pressed. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Step 04

Meanwhile, make the frosting. Put the egg white, sugar and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Set over a pan of barely simmering water, without letting the bowl touch the water. Using an electric hand mixer, whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and glossy. Take off the heat and keep mixing for 5-6 minutes until the outside of the bowl is no longer warm to the touch and the mixture holds stiff peaks. Add the vanilla and briefly whisk again.

Step 05

To decorate the ghost cupcakes, put the frosting into a piping bag. Snip a 3cm hole in the end and pipe a large blob onto 6 of the cupcakes so they sit tall. Decorate with chocolate chips for the ghost eyes and mouth.

Step 06

For the mummies, divide the white fondant into two and colour each half with gel food colouring as you like, or leave white. Dust the worksurface with icing sugar, then roll out the fondant to about 2mm thick. Cut into ribbons of varying widths, then arrange across the top of the remaining cupcakes, overlapping as you go to create a bandage effect. Decorate with the sugar eyes and serve.