Seven Deadly Sins Cupcakes

   I made these cupcakes for the 2009 Halloween party I had, but I wanted them to be a: based around a sin, and b: based around an alcohol. There was a lot of experimenting and I have to admit the beer/sloth cuppies were not that good, but it was an experience and they looked really cute!

   The sins are as follows, with their alcoholic partner:

• Gluttony--Creme de Cocao
• Lust--Chambord
• Wrath--Grand Marnier
• Pride--?*
• Greed--Butterscotch Schnapps
• Envy--Tequila
• Sloth--Honey Beer

   It was a real laugh asking everybody who would listen to me, what flavour or alcohol they thought best represented a sin and also the looks on peoples faces when I told them I had every intention of making beer flavoured cuppies. In the end I went with the following.

   Gluttony had a chocolate brownie base, moist chocolate cake spiked with Creme de Cocao, filled with rich chocolate fudge, frosted with chocolate mouse style cream and topped with dark chocolate shavings.

   Lust was red velvet cake with a raspberry and chambord filling, frosted with red tinted butter cream and topped with a Chambord soaked raspberry.

   Wrath was an orange and chili cake filled with Grand Marnier cream, topped with burnt meringue frosting, and sprinkled with orange zest sugar.

   Greed was caramel mud cake drizzled with Butterscotch Schnapps, a caramel center, frosted with triple gooey caramel layers and butter cream frosting with large gold dragees.

   Envy was a margarita cake with zesty lime and Tequila cream filling, frosted with a lime flavoured green butter cream and rimmed with sugar.

   And lastly, Sloth was a Honey Beer butter cake with beer spiked butter cream frosting and sprinkled with grey tinted sugar pearls. This would probably have been better if it was the only one I had to make, and I could put all my effort into them. Maybe next time I'll do a reduction with the beer and make the cake beer-y and the frosting honey-y...

   As I mentioned, they didn't all work out, but they were fun to come up with and try to execute, but I will never make a that many cuppies again! A dozen at least of each flavour and then I also did regular and mini cuppies. When I put them all on the table for photographing, they looked like small armies about to go to war...

     *Unfortunately, while writing this I have come to realise that I have completely forgotten what pride was. Once I do remember, I will update this post asap.