Halloween crispy cakes

Spooky, crispy little monsters with huge white chocolate eyes that follow you around the room. You'll love this crispy, chewy, sweet and delicious Halloween crispy cakes.

We have three Halloween traditions in our household. We have a party (because it almost coincides with JD's birthday), we carve pumpkins and we make monster cakes that peer right back at you.

Here's how to make 12 of the little lookers.

Instructions

Place the marshmallows and butter in a very large, microwave safe mixing bowl.

Microwave in 15-second blasts, stirring between each burst until melted and smooth. Be careful, it can get hot.

Add the green food colouring.

Mix until the colour is evenly distributed. If your mix starts to set, you can pop it back in the microwave for another short burst.

Add the rice crispies.

Mix until evenly coated.

Line a muffin tray with cupcake cases.

Pile the mixture into each case. I find it easiest to use my hands to do this. Wet them just slightly under the tap to prevent your hands from sticking and wash them from time to time when the mixture starts to stick.

Push a chocolate ball onto the top of each crispy cake.

Use your black writing icing pen or black fondant to add a black dot to the top of each chocolate - these are the pupils.

The cakes will only take about 15 minutes to set, then you can serve and enjoy!

Will you make the crispy treats? They're quite the eyeful, aren't they?

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Halloween crispy cakes

Are Halloween crispy cakes easy to make?

These crispy cakes are so fun and easy to make.

You'll simply melt marshmallows and butter together, dye the mixture green and then fold in rice crispies.

You'll then spoon the mixture into cupcake cases and top with a white chocolate truffle, decorated with a black icing pupil!

My kids love making this recipe because there's no oven required, which means they're ready to eat in no time.

Will I need any special equipment to make Halloween crispy cakes?

To make these crispy cakes, you won't need anything you wouldn't find in an average kitchen!

Just grab the following and you're good to go:

• Weighing scales
• Measuring spoons
• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon
• 12-hole muffin tray
• Cupcake cases

Where can I buy green food colouring?

Food colouring can be found in the baking aisle of almost all good-size supermarkets. If you can't find green, you could buy blue and yellow and combine them to make your own preferred shade of green,

Why does the recipe specify gel food colouring?

Most supermarkets stock two sorts of food colouring: gel and liquid. Gel colour comes in tubes and liquid colour usually comes in little bottles.

Liquid colour is usually cheaper, but it's also not very concentrated, meaning you need a lot more of it to get the desired result.

Liquid colour also adds a lot more water to your mixture, which can negatively affect the results.

And finally, liquid colour doesn't tend to stand up very well to being heated. If you've ever dyed a cake batter bright pink with food colouring, only for the cakes that come out the oven to turn out yellow, as if you never added anything? That's because your colouring wasn't bake stable.

Gel colouring holds up much better and can often become more vibrant during baking, so it's an all round winner and a much better investment than cheaper liquid colour.

Can I make this recipe without food colouring?

Without food colouring, these crispy cakes will be milky white. They'll still be pretty monstrous one you add the eyeball, though, so would still make a great Halloween treat.

Can marshmallows go bad?

Marshmallows tend to have a "Best Before" date rather than a "Use By" date. While Use By dates should never be exceeded, Best Before dates are more of an indication of how long you can reasonably expect them to stay as good as new, so it's fine to eat them past their Best Before date, as long as there are no other indications that they're no longer safe to eat.

Once you open your marshmallows, the main issue they may face is drying out. Usually, marshmallows are coated in a thin layer of starch, such as cornflour, to prevent them from sticking together in the pack and this is fine.

However, if you leave your marshmallow pack open rather than properly sealed, you may find that they shrink and go hard. If this happens, they're probably safe to eat, but they probably won't taste great.

In a very humid or moist environment, an open pack of marshmallows may absorb other flavours. If they feel slimy, sticky, have changed colour or look in any way 'changed' then they're best discarded. You should also discard any marshmallows that smell or taste anything other than pillowy, fresh and sweet.

Remember also that marshmallows are high in sugar, so if you don't store them in a sealed container, you may get some unwelcome visitors such as ants. You should, of course, discard any food stuffs that have been contaminated with creepy crawlies.

Are Halloween crispy cakes suitable for vegetarians?

As these crispy cakes contain marshmallows, they are not suitable for vegetarians. This is because marshmallows are made with gelatine, a gelling agent made with animal products.

I'm told, however, that vegan marshmallows work great in this recipe, which would then be suitable for vegetarians. Just check the description on the pack of your vegan marshmallows to make sure they're suitable for melting, or check with the manufacturer.

Are Halloween crispy cakes suitable for vegans?

This recipe is not vegan as it contains marshmallows (gelatine) and butter.

If you wish to make a vegan version, in addition to using vegan marshmallows as described above, you would also need to use vegan margarine instead of butter and a vegan chocolate truffle.

Let me know which products you use if you try this, and don't forget to check the labels on everything to make sure each ingredient is suitable for a vegan diet.

Are Halloween crispy cakes gluten-free?

Some marshmallows are made with ingredients such as wheat starch. In addition, although rice crispy cereals are made with popped rice, they often contain malt.

Because of these elements, this crispy cake recipe is not gluten free. However, it is possible to buy puffed rice and gluten free marshmallows, so you could make a gluten free version of this recipe.

You would also need to select a suitably eye-shaped gluten-free chocolate, and carefully check the labels all of the other ingredients to make sure they are suitable for a gluten-free diet

Are Halloween crispy cakes keto-friendly?

These crispy treats are high in sugar and not suitable for a gluten free diet.

Are Halloween crispy cakes healthy?

The high-sugar treats are not for everyday, but could be enjoyed as a treat as part of your annual Halloween celebrations.

Are Halloween crispy cakes safe to eat while pregnant?

There is nothing else these crispy cakes that should present a risk to pregnant people if the ingredients are in good condition and have been stored correctly, and the recipe is cooked hygienically and safely.

However, this website does not offer medical advice and you should always check with your health professional. The NHS has a great resource that will help review the latest advice regarding foods that are safe to eat while pregnant in the UK.

Are Halloween crispy cakes suitable for babies and toddlers?

These cakes are a high-sugar treat. The NHS recommends avoiding giving sugar to babies and young children.

This website does not offer medical advice: always consult your health professional if you have any concerns.

I haven’t got rice crispies, what else can I use?

Almost any small breakfast cereal will hold up well in this recipe. I haven't tested all of them, but why not try puffed wheat, Cheerios, Wheetos or even Coco Pops?

How should I store Halloween crispy cakes?

Store these crispy cakes in a single layer in a sealed container somewhere cool and dry.

Can I keep Halloween crispy cakes in the refrigerator?

You can keep these crispy cakes in the fridge, if you prefer. This is particularly advisable on a hot day where the chocolate may otherwise melt.

Make sure to arrange them in a single layer in a sealed container before placing in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze Halloween crispy cakes?

Yes, you can freeze these crispy cakes. Arrange them in a single layer in a sealed container before placing in the freezer.

How long do Halloween crispy cakes keep?

Properly stored, these crispy cakes should keep for 2 days before starting to go soft.

If frozen, they should keep for 4-6 weeks.

How can I defrost this recipe?

If frozen, these crispy cakes will defrost in 15 minutes at room temperature.

Can I make Halloween crispy cakes ahead?

If you're going to make these crispy cakes ahead, I'd recommend making them from start to finish and getting them into a sealed container in a single layer asap.

I wouldn't recommend making the mixture and leaving it in the bowl overnight as it will set too firmly, meaning you won't be able to divide it into the cupcake cakes.

You could, however, add a pupil to each chocolate the night before, if you like, to save a little time on the day.

Can I make Halloween crispy cakes in a different quantity?

You can indeed alter this recipe to make more or fewer Halloween crispy cupcakes.

To do so, simply scroll down to the recipe card found at the bottom of this page and click or hover over the servings number. A slider will appear that you can use to adjust the serving number, which will also automatically adjust all the ingredient quantities you need.

Can I make Halloween crispy cakes in a different tin/tray?

You could turn this recipe into spooky rice crispy squares!

Press all of the mix into a greased tray, then push the chocolates into the top in a 3x4 configuration. Add the icing pupils, allow the whole thing to set, then carefully cut into 12 crispy squares.

Can I make Halloween crispy cakes in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

This mixture is best made by hand, as you'll need to fold the rice crispies into the melted marshmallows rather than beat them.

The mixture got stuck to my hands. How can I avoid this?

Wash your hands well, rinse with water, shake off the excess and then get to work. You should find that the rice crispies don't stick at all!

If they start to stick, wash your hands, rinse and carry on!

My mixture turned into a lump before I had a chance to divide it into the cases. What should I do?

You might have waited too long after melting the marshmallow or adding the rice crispies. Pop the bowl back in the microwave for 10-20 seconds, stir well with a spoon and you should find your mixture is malleable again.

Be really careful if you do this. Sugar can get very hot and the microwave can create hot spots in the mixture, meaning some parts may feel cool while others are burning hot. This is why it's important to mix well.

Why did my rice crispies go soft?

If you have to re-microwave your mixture too many times, the rice crispies will start to seem soft and stale so try to get it all done in one go if you can.

You crispy cakes should stay...crisp for a couple of days if stored properly in a sealed container somewhere cool and dry.

Why did my Halloween crispy cakes go really hard?

It's possible you over cooked the marshmallow mixture. If it goes dark, crystallises or develops any brown/burned spots during melting, it had overheated and won't be suitable to use.

Why did my Halloween crispy cakes fall apart?

Your marshmallow mixture should be super duper sticky and hold together really well, setting once totally cool.

If it doesn't, chances are the ingredient quantities were off - either too little marshmallow or too many rice crispies. To avoid this happening, always read the recipe from start to finish and measure everything out before you start.

How can I add/change the flavours in this dish?

You can add any flavour you like to this recipe. The best time to add it is at the same time you add the food colouring, before you add the crispies.

I think peppermint extract would work well with these crispy treats. You'd only need a couple of drops.

Where do crispy cakes come from?

Rice crispy treats, as they're known in the US, were invented in the Kellogg Company home economics kitchen way back in the 1930s.

Kellogg employees Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day developed them for a Girl Scouts fundraiser!

Why do we celebrate Halloween?

Samhain, which falls on 31st October, is an ancient pagan religious festival, celebrated by the Celts thousands of years ago.

For them, the end of October represented the transition to darker days and they believed that at that time, the divide between our world and that of the spirit world was at its thinnest. As such, many traditions developed to ward off evil spirits, including wearing masks and costumes, offering food and more.

However, the word Halloween has Catholic Origins. It's a contraction of the phrase "All Hallows Eve", which also falls on 31st October and refers to the day before All Hallows Day aka All Saints Day, which falls on 1st November.

All Saints Day was designated a holy day in the eighth century by Pope Gregory III, and since the date is shared, over time, some of the Samhain traditions were absorbed into the traditions of Halloween, eventually turning it into the festival of spookiness and spirits we know today.

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