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Day of the Dead Skulls from A Zombie Ate My Cupcake!

(Makes 12 cakes)

For the chocolate cupcakes:
60g unsalted butter, at room temperature
140g caster sugar
1 large egg
1/2tsp vanilla extract
115g plain flour, sifted twice
30g unsweetened cocoa
1/4tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4tsp salt
80ml sour cream
4tbsp strong espresso, cooled

For the icing:
White fondant
Tubes of ready-coloured icing or
Icing pens
Luster dust
Rejuvenating spirit, a clear alcohol such as vodka, lemon juice, or clear vanilla extract
Flower sprinkles
Edible wafer flowers

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until thoroughly incorporated.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the sour cream. Then slowly add the cooled coffee.

Using an ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into the paper cases, filling them three-quarters full. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool in the muffin pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Use a chocolate cupcake as the centre of each skull. Remove the paper case and cut hollows for the eye sockets.

Roll out some white fondant to a thickness of 5mm and wrap the cake so it is completely sealed. Use your hands to sculpt a skull shape; the fondant will hold in place, just be careful not to press too hard and tear it.

You can then decorate the “skull” however you wish. Look at images of other skulls for inspiration or invent your own designs. Create the main features using tubes of ready-coloured icing or icing pens. You could also use coloured icing and a piping bag with a very small tip.

To paint on further details, use luster dust in gold and other colours that has been mixed with rejuvenating spirit, clear alcohol, lemon juice, or clear vanilla extract. The liquid evaporates, leaving the powder in place.

Finish off with silver dragees (you could use small balls of coloured fondant instead), flower sprinkles, and edible wafer flowers.