Red Velvet Halloween Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 180'c (160'c, gas mark 4) and line a 12 hole cupcake tin with cupcake cases.

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the beaten eggs one at a time and the vanilla extract, mixing well between each one to ensure that the mixture does not curdle.

Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder and carefully fold in until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Then add the red food colour gel and carefully mix until distributed evenly through the batter.

Spoon into the cupcake cases until they are 2/3 full, then place in the oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and the cupcakes are springy to touch.

Remove from the oven, leave to cool and then transfer to a cooling wire to cool completely.

To make the buttercream, beat together the icing sugar, butter and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Fill a piping bag with a nozzle and pipe the buttercream on top of each cupcake.