#WickedRomanceGIVEAWAY Seduction of my Proper Wife and ghouly cupcakes

Ghouly Cupcakes from the Food Network Kitchens. Neither the recipe nor the picture are mine.

I will say, that after reading the level (easy) and then the directions for the meringue, I'm thinking Food Network and I have different ideas of easy! Meringue, in my view, is far from easy! I bet regular icing would work also...ok, not as fancy but far, far easier. For me at least.

Oh! Or Cool Whip (or any whipped cream) Sure, it doesn't have that same slightly boasting quality of 'Why yes, I did whip up a small batch of meringue just for these cupcakes!' But think of the easiness and the time saving part. And I'm certain, though I've never tried it, you can dye whipped cream...probably.

Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup root beer, flat
• 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 8 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 teaspoon banana extract, or more to taste
• 1 to 2 drops pastel food coloring, optional
• Candied eyeballs
• Equipment: 12 cup standard muffin tin

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray footed cupcake holders with nonstick spray.
2. Put the butter, root beer, and cocoa in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on HIGH until the butter melts, about 2 minutes. 
3. Whisk to combine.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla together in a small bowl.
5. Whisk the hot cocoa mixture into the dry ingredients. 
6. Stir in the sour cream mixture just to combine; take care not to overmix. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each one about 3/4 of the way full, about 1/4 cup per cupcake. 
7. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. 
8.  Cool the cupcakes completely in the tin on a rack. Remove from liners and return cakes to a rack.
9. For Frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a mixer's bowl above the water. 
10. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl by hand. 
11. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. 
12. Transfer the mixture to a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until eggs beat up into a cool stiff meringue, about 5 minutes. 
13. Add a few drops of desired extract and/or food coloring and lightly beat into the meringue.
14. To decorate: Using a spoon, offset spatula or piping bag, dollop, spread or pipe about 1/2 cup meringue on top of each cupcake to make a ghost or monster of your choice. 
15. Decorate with candied eyeballs or other candies. 
16. These can be finished 2 to 3 hours in advance and held at room temperature.

Seduction of my Proper Wife: A Victorian Menage at the Parisian Exposition 

Where to buy:
All Romance
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes and Noble 

She didn’t recoil from his touch, but when she spoke her voice was very small. “I know.” Lillian cleared her throat and asked in a slightly louder voice, “Will you leave me because of that?”

Philip held her tighter. “I don’t want to.”

Pulling back just enough to kiss her, Philip prayed this would be the turning point. Lillian’s body stiffened in his arms, and she didn’t return his kiss. Sighing, Philip leaned his forehead against hers, and knew before it even happened that she’d relax in his arms. He knew her reactions far too well and hated that even the simplest touch had her flinching in distaste.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Philip whispered. “We’ve been friends for such a long time; I believed becoming lovers would simply be an extension of that. You’ve trusted me with so much in the past, Lillian. Why can’t you trust your body to me?”

“I don’t know,” she said again. But then she cleared her throat and said stronger, “I feel it’s wrong somehow. I feel like…” she hiccupped on a sob, and he knew she desperately tried not to cry again.

Philip allowed her time to control herself, though it didn’t take long.

“I feel as if there is something dark in this,” she admitted.

“It’s not,” he insisted. “We’ve taken our vows; both our bodies and our souls belong to each other now.”

Lillian looked at him with longing, the first time she’d done so, but shook her head, deflating every hope he’d had for them. “I can’t.”

Going rigid in her arms, Philip pulled back. She looked alarmed, confused, and frightened. He studied her for long, long minutes before grasping at the only option he had left. He didn’t know what else to do for her. For them.

“Are you willing to learn from another?”

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