Since photos are few and far between in hundred-year-old cookbooks, I was surprised to see a photo of Halloween Spice Cupcakes in a 1926 cookbook. The adorable cupcakes (Can cupcakes be called adorable?) were decorated to look like jack-o-lanterns. Raisins were used to make the faces.
I decided to try to replicate the cupcakes in the photo. The recipe on page 180 of the cookbook is for a loaf cake and does not specifically mention Halloween Spice Cupcakes, so I just put the batter in a cupcake tin that I had lined with paper liners.
I decorated the cupcakes similarly to the way the cupcakes in the old photo were decorated. Since the photo in the old cookbook is black and white, it is difficult to tell what color the icing was. Since food coloring was readily available in 1926, I assumed that the icing was tinted orange.
The cupcakes were fun to make, and turned out wonderfully. The cupcakes were tasty and had a lovely spice flavor.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Halloween Spice Cupcakes
1/2 cup shortening or butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
frosting, tinted orange
raisins
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Put paper cupcake liners in cupcake tin(s).
Step 2. Put the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mace, cloves, and allspice in a bowl. Stir to combine, then set aside.
Step 3. Put the shortening (or butter) and sugar in a mixing bowl, then cream.
Step 4. Add the eggs; beat until combined.
Step 5. Add the milk and dry ingredients; beat until smooth, then put in the prepared cupcake tin(s). Fill each cupcake cup 2/3 full.
Step 6. Bake 30 – 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Step 7. Let the cupcakes cool, then ice the cupcakes with icing that has been tinted orange.
Step 7. Use raisins to make the faces on the cupcakes. Use round raisins for the eyes, elongated raisins for the nose, and chopped raisins to make the mouth.
The cupcakes were very cute, and I’m glad they were tasty, as well.
I am here to say that YES, cupcakes can be adorable! Your cupcakes fall into that category. Cupcakes lend themselves so well to festivities!
This reminds me so much of a spice cake that my mom used to make. I saved that recipe, but she also iced them with a white frosting, and I don’t have that recipe. The house always smelled so good when she made those cakes! Your cupcakes turned out ‘adorable’!