Vampire Bite Cupcakes

Betty's Easy Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Line 2 x 12 hole muffin pans with 18 paper cupcake cases.
2. Make up the cake mix as directed on the box with the eggs, butter or oil and milk or water. Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases.
3. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until risen and just firm to the touch. Leave in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and leave to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
4. To make the vampire ‘blood’ to fill and decorate the cupcakes, push the jam or conserve through a fine metal sieve to give a smooth purée (discard any lumpy bits left in the sieve).
5. Use the end of a wooden spoon to create a hole in the centre of each cupcake. Using a small teaspoon, fill each hole with some of the purée. Mix the sachet of frosting from the cake mix box with the 180g of frosting and evenly spread the frosting over the top of the cupcakes. Press 1 sweet fang onto each cupcake, and using a fine clean paintbrush, brush on drizzles of any remaining ‘blood’ around the sweet fangs, allowing some to drip down the sides of the cupcakes.

Betty's Tips

• Cherry jam or conserve gives a really deep, blood red coloured purée, but you can use raspberry, strawberry or mixed berry jams instead. Add a little red food colouring gel or paste for a deeper colour.
• If sweet fangs are unavailable, use a little white ready to roll icing to shape two pointed ‘fangs’ for each cupcake.
• Store the decorated cupcakes in an airtight container in a cool place for 3-4 days.