(click on the text to highlight each stage):

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/180°C fan/Gas 4. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake cases.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale & fluffy, add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating until mixed. Gently fold in the flour.
3. Spoon the mixture into the cases until 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for 25mins until golden brown or a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
4. For the frosting cream together the butter, icing sugar & vanilla extract until pale and fluffy . Using a palette knife or a piping bag and nozzle, smooth or pipe some frosting onto the top of the cupcakes.
5. Decorating ideas...
6. To make the Spider - roll 8 long sausages of black icing for the legs and place on the cake, then make a ball of black icing for the body and place on top. Make 2 small ball of white icing for the eyes and stick to the body using a dab of water.
7. To make the pumpkin - roll a ball of orange icing into a pumpkin shape and use the end of a teaspoon to make ridges then place on top of the cake, make a leaf shape using the green icing and stick to the pumpkin with a dab of water.