Darling readers, I know that, for many, Halloween marks the start of a two month orgy of holiday baking, parties, and overindulgence in all manner of delicious things.  So today I’m stepping away from the controls to leave you in the capable guest-blogging hands of Ish, the charming polymath, full-time foodie, and occasional blogger at A Fine Kettle of Ish, to kick off the season of eating with a roundup of tasty Halloween treats.  Play nice, boys and ghouls.

1. Brains in a Jar

Howdy, folks. Let’s get things started with this squishy parfait of berry-flavored cake, jam, and frosting from Living Locurto, which rings the Halloween trifecta bell: easy to make, delicious to eat, and completely gross to behold. Click on over to Living Locurto for the recipe as well as free Halloween printables to make the spooky jar labels.

2. Broken Glass Cupcakes

Who else but Martha Stewart would bring you these Broken Glass cupcakes?  Of course, you can make the white cake and cream cheese frosting from scratch (as Martha – OBVIOUSLY – does), but you could just as easily grab a mix and save your creative energies to make the “glass” – a simple process of melting sugar in water to get this cutting edge garnish (get it? cutting edge? I slay me).

Martha doesn’t mention it, but please, for the love of all that’s (un)holy, line your baking sheet with a silicon mat before you pour the sugar in.  That way, you simply twist the mat under the cooled sugar and voilà – broken glass!  Unless you prefer digging sugar shards out of a baking sheet then spending the next five hours scrubbing the pan.  Be like me and let your laziness be your guide.

3. Bloody Jelly Donut Eyeballs

Oozingly delicious, no-baking-required Halloween goodies that can also double as hilarious props? Any recipe that includes “stab eyeball with fork” in the directions? Complete. Genius. Check out I Sing in the Kitchen for more fantabulous photos and step-by-step instructions to easy donut eyeball assembly, or stop by Dollhouse Bake Shoppe for the original recipe.

4. Absinthe Cookies

Yes, well, I did have to get one of my own recipes in here, right?  I absolutely love these cookies. Tender and cake-y, the anise cookies can be made ahead of time and frozen until the day you’re ready to top them with sweetly herbaceous, ghostly green Absinthe glaze.  If your guests are on the squeamish side (or you prefer your treats a little less…oozing), give these decadent cookies, “evocative of fairies, madness, and exuberant excess” a try.

5. Devil’s Food Cake with Black Pepper Boiled Icing

This sensuous cake from October’s Bon Appetite magazine speaks to the decadent, devilish side of Halloween treats.  Rich, dark chocolate combined with peppery spice and topped with an ever-so-slightly-singed white frosting.  This is a pretty labor intensive recipe with grown up flavors, so save this one for a ghoulish Halloween dinner party.  Then please invite me so I don’t have to give in to the temptation to spend two days making this cake.  I promise to bring the jelly donut eyeballs.

Related Links:

– Chocolate Fig Pumpkins

– More Free Printable Halloween Goodness!

– Halloween Spirits: Absinthe

Categories: Food & Drink, Guest Writers

Tags: absinthe, bloody, cooking, crafts, dessert, DIY, fall, gross, halloween, Halloween Crafts, Halloween treats, horror, lists, printables, recipes, spooky, treats