Boozed Up Adult Halloween Dessert, These Cupcakes Are Bloody Good
No food coloring needed! Make the ultimate Halloween dessert: boozy, bloody cupcakes powered by red wine & cacao. They're deliciously spooky, plant-based, and gluten-free.
No food coloring needed for these bloody Halloween cupcakes! This vegan and gluten-free dessert set the mood for a frightful night. With a red wine reduction to give them a bloody appearance, they’re a spooky treat, because adults deserve a treat, too (like these fun bloody marys with witches fingers and stuffed red pepper jack o lanterns)!
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Halloween Cupcakes Ingredient Spotlight
These aren’t your ordinary cupcakes! The “bloody” appearance and rich flavor come from two extraordinary ingredients — red wine and cacao — both of which bring unique, antioxidant-rich benefits to this spooky treat.
Red Wine (The Bloody Boost)
Red wine is responsible for the deep, natural red color of the reduction, eliminating the need for artificial food coloring. Beyond its thematic “bloody” appearance, it adds a complex, mature, and boozy flavor that makes this the perfect adult Halloween treat. In moderation, it is associated with an antioxidant boost from polyphenols and has been linked to potential benefits like improved cholesterol and increased longevity.1
Cacao (The Healthier Chocolate)
Used in place of traditional cocoa powder, raw cacao delivers a darker, more intense chocolate flavor that perfectly complements the red wine. Cacao is a powerhouse of polyphenols that can help your body fight free radicals and reduce inflammation. It’s a delicious and healthier way to get your chocolate fix!
The final flourish, a dollop of coconut whipped cream, acts as the perfect counterpoint. Its light, mellow sweetness cuts through the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate and red wine, bringing a balanced, cozy finish to this frightfully delicious dessert.
Here’s How to Make This “Bloody” Good Halloween Dessert
These boozy Halloween cupcakes will be applauded amongst the adults at your Halloween party! Here’s how to make them.
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
Red Wine Reduction:
Coconut Whipped Cream:
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake tray with 16 liners.
- Add flour, sugar, baking soda, sea salt, and xanthan gum to a large mixing bowl. Using a fine mesh sieve to filter out any clumps, add cacao powder to the bowl. Whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, add water, coconut oil, red wine, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
- Then, pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour ¼ cup batter into each cupcake liner. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with few or no crumbs clinging. Let cool for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, add red wine and sugar to a small saucepan (I like stainless steel for this). Heat over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and the wine comes to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8 minutes, or until the red wine mixture is thickened, and coats the back of a spoon ( To test the thickness, run your finger over the back of the red wine, coated spoon, to test the thickness. Your finger should leave a line on the spoon if it’s thick enough. If it doesn’t, further reduce the red wine sauce.) then remove from heat. Transfer to refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Open the chilled can of coconut milk upside down and drain the liquid out. Add the remaining coconut into a large bowl.
- Next, add the powdered sugar to the bowl. Using a handheld mixer, mix until fluffy and whipped. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Top each cupcake with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and then drizzle with the red wine reduction. Then, garnish each cupcake with a raspberry. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Source:
1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3023893/
