amc | A Pinch Here, A Dash There

I had a few requests from people on here to make something for the Walking Dead Season Premiere. Of course, I already had something up my sleeve since I like that show so much and have been impatiently waiting for its return. (Sunday, October 13th on AMC)

I must admit, that when it comes to shows like this, I’m extremely squeamish. I had NO idea what to make, because I just couldn’t imagine eating meat while watching a zombie show. So, if you’re too squeamish to eat meat, keep it sweet! Which is what I did while inventing these cupcakes.

Now, I’ve seen quite a few bakers and bloggers make cupcakes with brains on the top of them, but I wanted to take it one step further for Halloween and the Walking Dead. So, I made a bloody filling in the cupcake (using cherry pie filing). When you or you’re guests bite into one of these cupcakes, they’ll be surprised by a thick, chunky, blood- red substance. Too much? Well, at least it tastes good!

Zombie Bloody Brain Cupcakes

Makes 24

What You’ll Need:

+ 2-1/2 cups cake flour, sifted + 1/2 teaspoon red gel food coloring

+ 2 Tablesp. dutch process cocoa powder + 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

+ 1 teaspoon salt + 1 cup buttermilk

+ 1-1/2 cups sugar + 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

+ 1-1/2 cups vegetable oil + 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

+ 2 large eggs + 1/2 cup cherry pie filing

For the Icing:

+ 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter + 4 cups confectioners sugar

+ 12 ounces cream cheese + 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake flour cocoa and salt in a medium bowl. In a mixer, blend the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, red coloring, and vanilla. Alternate adding buttermilk and flour mixture to the red mixture until it is all incorporated. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl. It will foam. Add to the batter and mix for 10 seconds. Pour the batter into 24 prepared cupcake tins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Remove a cone shaped piece from the center of each cupcake, careful not to break or crumble them.

Dollop a tablespoon of cherry pie filing in the center.

Cut the tip off of the cone and plug the hole in the center back up.

Make the frosting by beating the butter and cream cheese in a mixer. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until fully incorporated and smooth.I divided the batter and made half the frosting pink, half green. (regular brain and…zombie brain?)

Using a piping bag or a ziplock with the tip cut off, pipe the icing onto one half of the cupcake in a swirly up and down motion (like the pattern of a brain) repeat on the other side. There should be a tiny gap down the center of each cupcake.