250+ HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPES & IDEAS: National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

Today is National Chocolate Cupcake Day, and with Halloween right around the corner, what's more fun than spooky Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes?

Country Living has 43 fabulous Cupcake Ideas with Recipes. You won't want to miss this. 

And here are 28 more Fun Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes from Country Living. 

AllRecipes has links to multiple Inspirations, Ideas, and Recipes

 

Good Housekeeping has 61 Seriously Cute Halloween Cupcake Ideas that link back to some of your favorite bloggers' cupcake ideas.

 

Taste of Home has 21 Recipes for Halloween Cupcakes

I love these easy Bat Cupcakes from Betty Crocker. 

The Food Network has 24 Halloween Cupcakes that are Too Cute to Eat.

The Pioneer Woman has a round-up of 35 Easy Halloween Cupcake Ideas that are Both Sweet and Spooky. 

And this is just a start. Check out your favorite bloggers and dessert sites for other Halloween Chocolate Cupcake Ideas.

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Have a favorite? Post a comment below with the link! Boo!

CANDY CORN BROWNIES for Halloween!

I love Candy Corn. It just screams Halloween! According to the National Confectioners Association, 20 million pounds (9000 tons) of candy corn is sold annually. Want to try making your own Candy Corn? Jessie Oleson (aka Cakespy) has a great recipe for Homemade Candy Corn. 

There are so many ways to incorporate Candy Corn with Chocolate. Here's an easy recipe for Candy Corn Brownies. In a rush? Use a brownie mix and just when pulling brownies out of the oven, pour candies over the top. Push down lightly so they sink into the soft brownies.

CANDY CORN BROWNIES

Ingredients
1/2 lb unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-1/2 cup Dark Cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
Lots of Candy Corn

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350.
Butter 9 x 9 pan.
Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in bowl.
Stir in flour, cocoa, and salt.
Fold in chopped chocolate pieces.
Pour into prepared baking pan.
Sprinkle candy corn pieces evenly over top (alternatively, you can wait until brownies are baked and put candy corn pieces into top of baked brownies 2 minutes after taking out of oven and push down gently).
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHOCOLATE LIQUEUR: National Liqueur Day

Today is National Liqueur Day! I often make Chocolate Liqueur Truffles. They're so easy to make, and you can change the flavor of the liqueurs whenever you'd like. 

Sometimes, though, I like to make my own chocolate liqueur. You can always buy Chocolate Liqueur, and I'll have to admit that Godiva has an awesome Dark Chocolate Liqueur. You might also want to try Mozart Black Chocolate Liqueur. But if you want to make your own, try one of the following two recipes for Making Your Own Chocolate Liqueur.

As always, use the best cacao nibs or cocoa, vodka, and vanilla. You won't have the results to taste today, but it will be worth the wait!

How to Make Your Own Chocolate Liqueur

1. Chocolate Liqueur
The recipe is from Serious Eats, one of my favorite sites.

Ingredients
 2/3 cup cacao nibs
1 1/3 cup vodka
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
Combine cacao nibs and vodka in sealable glass jar. Shake and let steep for 8 days.
After initial steeping period, bring sugar and water to a boil. Let syrup cool, then add to jar along with vanilla extract. Let steep an additional day.
Strain out nibs through sieve and filter through a coffee filter into bottle or jar. Store in this jar.

II. Chocolate Liqueur
This Recipe from Creative Culinary uses Scharffen Berger Cocoa Powder. 

Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened good cocoa powder
1 cup boiling water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup vodka

Directions
In bowl, dissolve cocoa powder in boiling water.
In saucepan, bring sugar and water to simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Add sugar syrup to cocoa syrup.
Strain through fine-mesh sieve into jar with lid.
Add vodka, cover and refrigerate for one week.
To serve, stir well and strain again through fine-mesh sieve.
 
These two recipes should get you started. Want to try some variations? Use less sugar and maybe add almond extract--or use rum instead of vodka. Experiment!

You can drink your Chocolate Liqueur straight, use it in truffles, or make a martini.

Have a wonderful National Liqueur Day. Make it Chocolate!

I LOVE LUCY DAY: Lucy & Ethel in the Candy Factory

Today is I Love Lucy Day. And really, who doesn't love Lucy? I Love Lucy was one of the most watched television series of its time. Today's unofficial holiday commemorates the day in 1951, when the show, starring real-life couple at that time, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, debuted on CBS.

Being that it's all about chocolate for me, here's my favorite scene from the Queen of Comedy: Lucy and Ethel in the Candy Factory.

And, in case you're curious about where this episode was filmed: Filming actually took place at the See's Candies factory in Los Angeles, on May 30, 1952.  Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance spent half a day learning the ropes, dipping chocolates and packing candy on the production line before filming began. The uniforms the two wore were actually borrowed from See's workers.

Watch the Lucy & Ethel in the Candy Factory clip below. 

And, if you're swept up in Barbie mania, the Lucy & Ethel in the Candy factory collectible is available on eBay.