Ingredients:

1 recipe basic chocolate cupcakes (recipe follows)

1 recipe chocolate ganache or vanilla frosting (recipes follow)

1 recipe royal icing (recipe follows)

12 plastic spider rings

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (basic chocolate cupcakes)

1 ½ tsp baking powder (basic chocolate cupcakes)

½ tsp baking soda (basic chocolate cupcakes)

¼ tsp salt (basic chocolate cupcakes)

1 cup sugar (basic chocolate cupcakes)

¾ cup cocoa (basic chocolate cupcakes)

¾ cup vegetable oil (basic chocolate cupcakes)

2 eggs (basic chocolate cupcakes)

1 tsp vanilla extract (basic chocolate cupcakes)

1 cup milk (basic chocolate cupcakes)

14 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (chocolate ganache)

1 cup 35% cream (chocolate ganache)

⅓ cup corn syrup (chocolate ganache)

⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened (chocolate ganache)

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (vanilla frosting)

2 ¼ cups icing sugar (vanilla frosting)

2 tbsp 35% cream (vanilla frosting)

1 tsp vanilla extract (vanilla frosting)

1 egg white (royal icing)

1 ½ cups icing sugar (royal icing)

1 tsp water (royal icing)

Directions:

1. Top the cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache or Vanilla Frosting. With a pastry bag fitted with a small tip, apply the icing in a spiral shape on the ganache. With a knife, from the centre, draw lines outward to form a web. On top of the cupcakes, place plastic spider rings; sold in most dollar stores.

2. With the rack in middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Line a 12 cavity muffin tray with paper liners. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the sugar and cocoa. Add the oil, eggs, vanilla and beat with an electric mixer at high speed or until mixture is smooth. At low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk. Scoop the batter into the molds. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean. Cool and store in an airtight container.

3. Place the chocolate in a bowl. Set aside. In a saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let melt for 1 minute, without stirring. Using a whisk, stir until smooth. Whisk in the butter. Leave at room temperature a couple of hours. Cover and refrigerate until the ganache is cold but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.

4. In a bowl, beat the butter with the sugar, cream, and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.

5. In a bowl, combine the egg white and icing sugar with an electric mixer or whisk, until smooth. Add water, if needed.

Bon Appetit!