Vampire Punch

A quick, healthy, and hassle-free dinner? Sign me up!

I’m crushing Halloween this year with this Vampire Punch recipe – approved by the legendary and infamous vampire, Count Dracula himself. Seriously though, you can’t go wrong with this one! Not only does this cocktail have the deep, rich red color you’re looking for in a Vampire Punch, but it has a unique blend of berry and citrus, with a little – KICK – of tequila. This one is for adults only this time guys!

A Party Pleaser – or an Easy Evening Cocktail

This punch recipe is a fun, SPOOKY Halloween cocktail that’s really easy to make! LTP obviously couldn’t get a taste test on this one, but he was great with helping me prepare everything I needed. It’s really a breeze to whip up – you’ll spend most of your time washing and slicing fruit.

The best part about making this cocktail ahead of time is the longer you let the red velvet wine, tequila, and cran-blackberry juice sit with the fresh fruit, the better it tastes – just be sure to add the blood orange soda just before serving, so you don’t spoil the bubbly carbonation! I think I might try making this in small batches this year, the flavors in this cocktail would be perfect throughout the Fall season. It’s easy enough to make and keep in the fridge for an evening drink or nightcap – you don’t need a party to enjoy a delicious cocktail after all.

Get Creative and Think SPOOKY!

The best part of Halloween is getting creative and having fun with costumes, decorations, and if you’re hosting a party, food presentations. Drinks can be a bit tricky to make spooky, but this punch is perfect. The ingredients give it the color of a vampire’s favorite drink, but the eyeballs really make it! The eyeballs can be easy by using fake plastic ones from the dollar store – just be sure to wash them. You can also get creative with fruity “eyeballs”, like grapes, or lychees stuffed with blueberries – or you can try to find some eyeball-shaped candy in the Halloween section too, whatever you prefer!

Break out the biggest punch bowl you have – and step it up a notch to make it really SPOOKY! Place your punch bowl inside a hollowed-out pumpkin or pour the punch right inside if you like. You might even be able to find a cauldron to use among the Halloween décor aisles. Let your creative juices run wild! If you want to amp up your presentation, even more, you can use dry ice to make it look smoky. ALWAYS do research and use caution when handling dry ice, however!

* Do not consume dry ice or put it directly in your punch, it’s strictly for visual effect. Place your punch bowl inside of a larger bowl to keep the dry ice separate. Always use gloves and a great deal of care when handling dry ice! *

Ingredients

• • 8 oz. pkg of Blackberries
  • 4 cups Cran-Blackberry juice
  • 4 cups Blood Orange soda
  • 3 Oranges, cut into slices
  • 1 cup Lime juice
  • 1 bottle of Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet wine
  • 3 cups of Tequila, your choice
  • 1 package of eyeballs

Directions

1. Add the Red Velvet wine, Cran-Blackberry juice, blood orange soda, tequila, and lime juice to your punch bowl. OR when preparing in advance, omit the soda until you’re ready to serve.
2. Stir until the ingredients are completely combined.
3. Add the orange slices, blackberries, and whatever you’ve chosen to use as eyeballs. If you’ve chosen candy or cleverly crafted fruit eyeballs, you may want to wait and add them to your punch at the time of serving. This will help them maintain their texture and keep them looking spooky for your guests!
4. Stir, serve, and enjoy!