Life | Halloween Cupcakes

Happy Halloween everyone! I know not everyone buys into the 'holiday' but my family for one is a big fun. It's just a load of fun. This evening we will be sat watching a series of halloween based films (usually Hocus Pocus) whilst my Dad opens the door as a skeleton to kids and Adam goes round the side gate as a wolf...

On Sunday Adam and I decided to make some cakes and pop our own Halloween spin on them.. So here is what you need!

For 20 cakes:

3 medium eggs

6 oz self raising flour

6 oz butter

6 oz caster sugar

chocolate chips

icing tubes in black and white

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (not fan assisted). Mix together the sugar and butter like so...

Then mix in the 3 eggs and gradually seize in the flour. Mix until it creates a creamy mix... Then add as many chocolate chips as you like! Of course you can pop whatever you like it such as raisons, cranberries etc but let's face it. Chocolate. Hello?!

(tshirt: topshop | cardigan: tesco | jeans: topshop)

Grab some halloween based cake cases and pop into a cake tray. Mine takes 12 at a time so I had to do it in two batches...

If like me you need two batches, pop the first batch in for 20 minutes, the second for around 15 minutes. If you only have one batch (or two trays) just pop them in for 20 minutes. Then let them cool for at least half an hour.

Adam and I then decided to decorate our cakes - 10 each - and see whose came out on top. We used black and white icing, ready made and in a tube with different nozzles. You can make your own icing and icing bag, but for around £2 each you can get them for Sainsburys. Much easier!

Our independant adjuidicators (my grandparents) voted for the winning cakes... Now I have to say they did NOT know who decorated which ones (for Adam who thinks I cheated), but they chose me and my awesome bats as the winners! Although Adam's skull definitely gave me a run for my money.

These are so easy to make and the basic ingredients make it really easy to remember a fab base for normal cupcakes. I know it's a bit old school using oz but it's easy to remember... whatever eggs you use double it for the rest!

Whatever you're doing this halloween I hope you have a great time! I cannot wait to move out and host my own party - fun times!!

What are you doing for halloween?

Life | Halloween Party Essentials

Halloween is just around the corner, I swear it comes quicker every year (or maybe that’s just me getting older). Hopefully by this time next year I will have moved out into a place of my own and I’ve always said when I move out I want to hold my own Halloween party! So what would I do... Well let's take a look. I've been researching some of the things I would really like to do - so here we go!

Let's face it... It wouldn't be a Lisa party if there wasn't any alcohol, and cocktails I love. Halloween cocktails are such a fab idea and I cannot wait to try loads of them out, definitely going to be a night "not" to remember I'm sure. Whilst browsing some cocktail ideas I came across this list of the top 10 Halloween cocktails, I personally really want to try The Spicy Vampire. I’ve been loving the Vampire Diaries lately so anything vampire has me currently hooked! Cranberry juice is my usually juice of choice with spirits so it’s definitely a winner for me. One thing I really want when I move out is a cocktail shaker and glasses so this would be the occasion to show them off!

To go with all of this alcohol you need some nibbles and I love the idea of these Ginger Halloween cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery. I'm not a huge fan of ginger except in cakes so these would be perfect! My Mum is always making little cupcakes with either black or green icing and I just think they are a really fun way of catering for a party. I remember seeing an episode of the Big Bang Theory as well where Raj was catering and came up with ideas like “Draculoni and Cheese”. I may have to watch this again for more foodie ideas!

Pop around some Halloween decorations (check out Asda for £1 accessories) and you have yourself a party! Don’t forget to decorate the front of the house – this is what trick or treater’s go for (apart from the sweets). Our house is always ridiculously Halloweeny, so I should probably follow suit!

What would you drink at your Halloween party?

How I Wear | Staying In Halloween

It is almost the end of September (already?!) and that means one thing.... its nearly Halloween! I know, bit soon, but my family seem to go a bit crazy for it... The entire front of our house gets decorated - I mean graves in the lawn, motion sensored skeletons, motion sensored hands in the letter box, Dad as a wolf, dog as the devil... You name it we've probably had it.

It has been a couple of years since I've been to a proper Halloween do, or really dressed up, but seeing as my parents make sure a big deal out of it I do try and dress a little grunge on Halloween, you know, getting in the spirit. I have popped said outfit above and I love it.

Red and black is the epitome of halloween for me (night and blood... spookay!). These red leggings are from Topshop, and since I will most likely to be staying in and watching Hocus Pocus whilst we get trick or treaters, leggings is definitely the comfiest option for me. Teamed with this gorgeous black and tartan blouse from Boohoo - you can still be stylish whilst sitting on the couch right? And, because I'm always a cat on halloween, these gorgeous cat ears from Asos. Meooow.

If you are going out for Halloween, I would recommend doing it the right way in a ghoulish costume - it's fright night after all, so you might want to put your scariest self forward. This list predicting the top costumes for 2013 has a few suggestions should you find yourself a bit stuck in this department, or you could simply recycle last years costume! 

What will you be wearing this Halloween?

*This post is a collaborative PR post