adapted from these Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes and inspired by Martha Stewart’s Broken Glass Cupcakes

The cupcakes:

• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 100g dark chocolate, broken into 1″-2″ pieces (see Tips and Suggestions below)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup rice milk, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

The Broken Glass:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cold water

The Chocolate Spiderwebs:

• 1/2 cup chocolate (dark or white if no dairy/vegan requirements)

The Frosting and accessories:

• 6 cups icing sugar
• 1 1/2 cups coconut oil, room temperature
• 5-6 tbsp rice milk, room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract (artificial if you want the frosting to be pure white)
• 1 tbsp dark red jam (seedless raspberry or strawberry or  cherry jam, for Broken Glass cupcakes)
• 24 chocolate chips (for Mummy cupcakes)

Make the cupcakes:

In a small bowl, whisk together the water and ground flaxseed. Set aside for 5-10 minutes while the mixture becomes thick and gelatinous.

Line a 12 cup muffin tin and preheat the oven to 350F.

In a microwaveable bowl, heat the broken chocolate pieces at 50% power for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir. Add the coconut oil and heat and stir again at 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Add the granulated sugar and mix until the sugar is well distributed in the chocolate. Stir in the rice milk and vanilla extract. Sprinkle the flour, baking powder and salt over the chocolate mixture and mix until no more flour streaks are visible.

Spoon the cupcake batter into the prepared muffin tin and bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then remove the cupcakes to cool completely on a rack.

Make the Broken Glass:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Pour the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-high and let the mixture continue to bubble, undisturbed, until the temperature reaches 300F. The edge of the mixture will be slightly golden but the rest will be clear.

[Please note that although you can make the “glass” without the use of a candy thermometer, your chance of making clear broken glass significantly increases by knowing the accurate temperature of the sugar mixture. If you don’t mind frosted glass, estimating the readiness by visually seeing changes in the boiling sugar mixture will be sufficient.]

Carefully pour the hot sugar mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and tilt the baking sheet to make a thin layer of clear sugar. Use an offset spatula if required. Cool completely to allow the mixture to harden.

Make the Chocolate Spiderwebs:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a microwaveable bowl, heat the chocolate at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir and continue heating and stirring at 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Pour the melted chocolate into a small plastic sandwich bag and seal it. Snip a tiny corner and pipe a spiderweb. Start with an X or an asterisk 1 1/2″ wide and join the arms together to form a spiderweb.  When all of the spiderwebs are piped, move the baking sheet to the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to cool and harden.

Make the frosting:

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the milk, a tablespoon at a time, until your desired consistency is reached.

Assemble the Broken Glass and Spiderweb cupcakes:

Use an offset spatula to spread frosting over the cupcakes or a Wilton 1M tip, or equivalent, to pipe a large rose over the top of each cupcake. Crack a piece or two of broken glass off of the main piece and dip an end into the red jam. Stand the bloodied glass pieces or a chocolate spiderweb into the top of the cupcake. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

Assemble the Mummies:

Using a Wilton 102 tip, or equivalent, pipe frosting strips from side to side on each cupcake, representing bandages. Using a dab of frosting, stick 2 chocolate chip eyes on to each.