Sinister Saturday – Halloween (Box)Cake (Nailed it?)

Sinister Saturdays are turning out to be a showcase for my failed baking attempts.

And, this Saturday is no different!😄

Yes, I used box cake. Middle finger to the haters. But the box cake wasn’t the reason why my Red Velvet Tombstone Cakes were a little well done, it’s just my inability to pull pan out of the oven when the box says!

They looked alright, but were dry as a bone and when I flipped them over, the cakes didn’t retain the pan designs.

I did however manage to bake another cake in my my lovely Wiltern pumpkin pan and it turned out kinda nice.

First thing you need for box cake is box mix and I prefer Duncan Hines Perfectly Moist Red Velvet cake mix. This is the easiest cake mix, only 3 other ingredients are needed to bake the cake, 1 cup of water, half cup of oil, and 3 eggs.

Follow the instructions and you’ll get a nice fluffy red velvet cake.

Next, you add 4-5 drops of orange food coloring into buttercream frosting to get that nice classy orange color. If you want it brighter, I suggest using 2-3 more drops of orange and 1 drop of red. Next, spread frosting all over your cake.

Lastly, you add Halloween style sprinkles and viola, Halloween Cake!

It was a bummer the Red Velvet Tombstone Cakes didn’t turn out, but I was happy with the pumpkin cake pan version.

Happy Halloween!

Friday Fright Nightcaps – Blue Ghost Margarita

Happy Friday! Tonight’s Friday Fright Nightcap is a Blue Ghost Margarita.

I love the taste of Blue Curacao and I’m disraught over the demolishment of the people’s house. That’s our White House goddamit! It doesn’t belong to stupid conmen! Haunted. Haunted. Haunted. That is how I describe our great nation as it descends into authoritatian chaos, so yes, this is a fitting cocktail to end the week.

Ingredients

2 oz blanco tequila
1 oz blue curaçao liqueur
1 oz fresh lime juice
½ oz simple syrup
½ oz Grenadine syrup (opt)
ice to chill (opt)

Garnish/Rim:
Course Salt
Lime wedge

Pour ingredients into a glass and mix well.

This is a sweet margarita, so I recommend using course salt to rim the glass as opposed to sugar. Also, using Grenadine is optional. It doesn’t make that much difference.

Whether or not you like your margaritas chilled is also very much a preference. You’ll notice the little pumpkin ice in my pics. I live in SoCal, it’s always hot. We like chilled drinks, but to each their own.

Sorry for venting earlier, obviously I need another drink. Big party weekend. Please don’t drink and drive. Be safe out there.

Happy Halloween!

Sinister Saturday – Frankenilla Cups

After last week’s baking failure, me and my bruised ego are playing it safe with a no bake dessert for this Sinister Saturday, Frankenilla Cups!

It’s a super simple recipe with 4 ingredients:

•vanilla pudding
•graham cracker ready crust cups
•whipped cream
•green food coloring

Decorations (opt):
Candies
Marshmallow Peeps
Sprinkles

Yes, I used Keebler Graham ready crust cups and Jello brand pudding. If you want to do it from scratch, knock yourself out. I got a B52s/Devo concert to get to. For all the rest of my lazy friends and all the working moms out there, here’s how it’s done…

Steps:

◇First mix 2 drops of green food coloring in the vanilla pudding and mix well.
◇Spoon green vanilla pudding into graham cracker ready crust cups.
◇Add 4-6 drops of green food coloring in the whipped cream and mix well.
◇Add green whipped cream on top of vanilla pudding.
◇Pop in fridge or freezer for 60 mins.
◇Decorate with sprinkles or candies or whatever you want.

Okay, 60 mins might not have been enough time to freeze. They still look cute! think the kids are gonna love this one.

Happy Halloween!

Timeless Thursday – Halloween 80s Playlist

POST UPDATE 10/16/25: I cannot seem to get the videoplayer to upload my entire playlist, so it’s now a hyperlink that opens in a browser or Youtube. Sorry! Some GenXers just ain’t great with technology! LOL

Timeless Thursday, Throwback Thursday, it’s all the same, it means, we’re going back in time!

I made an Halloween 80s Playlist on YouTube. These are some of my favorite songs. Growing up in the 80s actually feels a lot like this year of 2025, GOP in control and ruining just about everything. Cold war was on, threat of nuclear war was high, terrorism threats were daily, antiwar songs were on the radio, high unemployment, groceries prices were rising, no one had healthcare, no one had rights but old white guys with money, racism, sexism, bigotry was running rampant, and of course, capitalism was consuming the world.

But the 80s had the best music and you should add these obscure gems to your Halloween Playlist.

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw-pyzpxGDXmNPaTZpLAEYoVeDLjHrfYe

I’ll keep adding more songs as they return to my memory. Cuz that’s a real thing when you get old! LOL

Happy Halloween!🎃

Songs copyright by respective owners. No copyright infringement intended. This is fan appreciation and critique. Reposting video under the “fair use” privilege of U.S. Copyright law. These videos still could be removed at anytime. Please email me at Halloweenkristy@gmail.com to report broken links.

Friday Fright Nightcaps – Spooky Cosmo

Happy Friday! Tonight’s Friday Fright Nightcaps is the Spooky Cosmo. It’s a Cosmopolitan, but spooky, cuz I said so.🤣

Ingredients:
3 oz. cranberry juice
2 oz. vodka
1 oz. Cointreau
.5 oz lime juice
.5 oz grenadine
1-2 drops of red food coloring

Garnish: Fresh fruit, hibiscus flower, orange rind, tiny umbrellas

Pour ingredients in a glass and mix well. Garnish with fresh fruit or flowers (hibiscus 🌺 would be nice)

Can be served chilled or unchilled.

Cosmos sneak up on you. They taste mild, but remember, vodka! Please don’t drink and drive.

I drank a little too much off the top *hiccup*

Stay safe out there!

Friday Fright Nightcaps – Ode to the Mummy

Every Halloween season I make it a point to revisit the classic Universal monster films. These are the films that cemented American’s love affair with horror. Watching my favorite old classic horror films is one of my biggest Halloween traditions. This week, I created spooky cocktail to honor Karl Freund’s classic The Mummy, starring the legendary Boris Karloff, with a drink I call Ode to the Mummy.

INGREDIENTS:

3 oz. Coffee
1.5 oz Cutwater Bali Hai Tiki Monkey Liquer
1.5 oz. Vodka
1 oz. French Vanilla Creamer or Cream
Splash of Cream of Coconut

Friday Fright Nightcaps-White Wine Peach Sangria

I would like to get back on some type of schedule. It’s easier said than done sometimes, but in effort to do so, I’m reviving Friday Fright Nightcaps to coincide with our monthly theme. This May is Cemetery Appreciation Month and our theme celebrates cemetery life, so I put together a classy, refreshing drink, perfect for springtime and a tribute to the afterlife.

Ingredients:

750 ml. White wine (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.,)
12 oz. Peach Vodka (New Amsterdam)
Fresh Fruit

First, cut up some fresh fruit. I used peaches, blackberries, red raspberries, apples, and strawberries. Any fruit will do. Next, pour entire contents of wine bottle into a pitcher. Lastly, add 12 oz or about half a bottle of Peach Vodka. I choose to use New Amsterdam brand, but you can use whichever brand you choose. Stir well and refrigerate for about 12-24 hours. Serve chilled.

Friday Fright Nightcaps – Frankenstein’s Martini

It’s Frankenstein Friday! Last day in October is always dedicated to the mad scientist and his big badass monster. Today, we toast Mary Shelley’s brilliant gothic horror with a variation of a sour-apple vodka martini, called Frankenstein’s Martini.

Frankenstein’s Martini by HalloweenKristy

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz sour apple mix
2 oz vodka
1 oz pineapple juice
Splash of real lime juice

Mix all items well in a cocktail shaker and pour over ice, or not. I like my cocktails chilled like the dead.

Frankenstein’s Martini ingredients by HalloweenKristy

I wish I knew a potion to instantly fill my empty bottles. I drank the last of my sour apple mix experimenting on this recipe!

Friday Fright Nightcaps: Samhain Apple-Spiced Sangria (S.A.S.S.)

Add a little S.A.S.S. to your Halloween with this delicious autumn sangria.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bottle red wine
1 bottle sparkling apple cider (Martinelli’s)
1 cup spiced rum
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 pear
1/2 apple
1/2 orange
1 cup strawberries
1 cup blueberries

Directions:

Place the sliced fruit (pear, orange, apple slices, etc.) in the bottom of a pitcher.

Add the red wine, apple cider, spiced rum, and cinnamon sticks. Stir well. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.

This recipe is highly modifiable. I find Red Blends and Cabs are best, but any wine will work. Switch out the rum with brandy for less spice. Choose different fruit if you’d like.

Happy Halloween!

Friday Fright Nightcaps: Devilish Mango Margarita

Now, I’m not much into religion, but I’m convinced somebody opened a portal to hell and let all the demons out this year. I’ve had a helluva week and I’m sure you have too. Let’s have magaritas!

Since it’s Halloween season, I wanted an orange margarita, so I put together my own version of the Spicy Mango Margarita. How much bite to add to it depends on you. Do you like it hot and spicy? Or are you more of an angelic type?

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Ripe Mango (Skin removed, pitted, cut into cubes)
3 ounces Pineapple Juice
1 ounce Lime Juice
3 ounces Triple Sec
3 ounces Tequila
1 tablespoon Grenadine

Rim:
3/4 teaspoon Chili Powder (or Cayenne)
1 1/2 teaspoon Course Salt or Sea Salt

Garnish:
Lime Wedge

I tried a little harder to make the presentation more professional. How did I do? 🙂 Hit me up in the comments section below or find me @HalloweenHaiku9 on Instagram or Twitter