Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes

POINTS® Value | 3
Servings | 24
Preparation Time | 25 min
Cooking Time | 32 min
Level of Difficulty | Moderate

desserts | We topped these marshmallow-frosted cupcakes with plastic spiders for some sweet Halloween fun.

Ingredients

2 cup McNeil Nutritionals SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener
2 serving cooking spray, 5 one-second sprays per serving
4 tsp decorating icing, Orange
2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp table salt
1 cup fat-free egg substitute
2 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 egg white(s)
1/2 tsp table salt
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat two 12-hole muffin tins with cooking spray and line with cupcake wrappers. (Note: We use both cooking spray and muffin wrappers to prevent any batter from sticking to the top of the pan. Or, use nonstick pans instead.)

2) Combine flour, Splenda, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl; set aside.

3) Whisk egg substitute, 2 cups of water and 1 cup of light corn syrup together in a medium bowl.

4) Add egg mixture into flour mixture and mix until completely smooth and incorporated.

5) Pour batter into muffin tins until each hole is completely full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.

6) While cupcakes cool, make frosting: Heat a medium pot of water to boiling.

7) In a medium metal or glass bowl, using a hand mixer, beat sugar, 1/2 cup of water, egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of corn syrup and vanilla extract at high speed for 1 minute.

8) Place bowl of frosting over rapidly boiling water (you are creating a double boiler) and beat at high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 7 to 10 minutes.

9) Remove frosting from heat and beat until the mixture is thick enough to spread, about 5 minutes. Frost muffins, create a spider web-like design on each with icing and decorate as desired.

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