These delicious chocolate cupcakes topped with meringue ghosts are the perfect treat to celebrate the Halloween spooky season. We asked foodie Therese Lum to share with us her spooky and easy recipe for Halloween.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes

• 185 plain flour
• 275g caster sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 25g cocoa powder
• 60g sour cream
• 125g milk
• 2 eggs
• 80ml vegetable oil
• 60g coffee (½ tbsp instant coffee mixed with ¼ cup of water)
• 2 tsp vanilla paste

Chocolate frosting

• 75g dark chocolate
• 75g thickened cream

Meringue Ghosts

• 3 egg whites
• 168g caster sugar
• Black edible writing pen

Method

1. For the meringue ghosts, preheat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan-forced) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and sugar. Bring a small pot of water to a simmer and place the mixing bowl on top, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl.
3. Gently and continuously whisk the egg mixture to dissolve the sugar, about 4 minutes. You can test this by dipping a finger into the mixture and rubbing it between your fingers for any grains of sugar.
4. To beat the egg whites, transfer the warm mixing bowl to the stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, whisk until the bowl no longer feels warm, about 4 minutes to stiff glossy peaks.
5. Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Slowly pipe little blobs directly above the lined tray. Bake for 1 ½ hours, then leave to cool.
6. When the meringues are cooled, use the edible pen to draw faces. Set aside.
7. For the cupcakes, increase the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 12 cavity cupcake tin with black cupcake liners.
8. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
9. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, eggs, oil, coffee and vanilla paste until combined.
10. Pour in the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth.
11. Scoop batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cupcake. Set aside to cool.
12. For the chocolate frosting, place dark chocolate into a small heatproof bowl. Gently heat up cream in a small pot and pour over chocolate. Allow the cream to soften the chocolate for 2 mins, then mix together until combined and smooth.
13. To assemble the cupcakes, cut the tops off the cupcakes and spoon a little chocolate frosting on top. Place a meringue ghost on top before serving.
14. Enjoy!

Happy Halloween from all of us at Bankstown Central.