Name: Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix; 1 (3.9 oz.) package chocolate fudge instant pudding mix; 4 large eggs; 1 cup sour cream; 1 cup mini chocolate chips; ¾ cup vegetable oil; ½ cup chocolate milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 batch Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting; Chocolate sprinkles (optional, for coating); 3 Hershey chocolate bars (for ears); 24 large heart sprinkles (for nose); 48 candy eyes (2 per cupcake for eyes); 48 chocolate Pocky sticks (broken in half for whiskers)

If you’re on the hunt for a playful and scrumptious treat that steals the show at any party, look no further than this Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe. I absolutely love how these cupcakes combine rich chocolatey goodness with adorable black cat decorations—perfect for Halloween or any fun get-together. Stick around because I’m going to share some handy tips and tricks that’ll have your cupcakes looking and tasting like a pro made them!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Decadently Moist Cupcakes: The combination of fudge cake mix and instant pudding keeps these cupcakes irresistibly soft.
Fun & Festive Presentation: Those chocolate ears, candy eyes, and whiskers will make anyone smile.
Perfect for Any Skill Level: Even if you don’t bake often, this recipe is super straightforward and foolproof.
Customizable for Your Taste: You can swap mini chocolate chips or sprinkles to fit your family’s favorites.

Three round chocolate cupcakes are decorated to look like cat faces, each covered fully with dark chocolate sprinkles. Each cupcake has two small triangular pieces of milk chocolate placed on top as ears, positioned symmetrically near the top edge. Two large white candy eyes with black pupils sit below the ears, giving a wide-eyed look. Pink heart-shaped candy pieces serve as the noses, placed just below the eyes. Four long thin chocolate sticks are arranged around the pink nose on each cupcake, two on each side, representing whiskers. The cupcakes are set on a black wooden tray with a purple background, all on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients You’ll Need

This Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe calls for pantry staples that work beautifully together to deliver an indulgent chocolate treat with a moist crumb and rich flavor. I like to make sure my sour cream is fresh because it really helps keep these cupcakes tender.

Dark chocolate fudge cake mix: Using a quality mix ensures the base flavor is deep and chocolaty.
Chocolate fudge instant pudding mix: This secret ingredient adds extra moisture and a lovely fudge-y texture.
Large eggs: Eggs help bind everything together for a perfect rise.
Sour cream: Adds tang and richness, keeping cupcakes tender.
Mini chocolate chips: These little pockets of gooey chocolate are what make each bite special.
Vegetable oil: Keeps the cupcakes moist without overpowering flavor.
Chocolate milk: Enhances the chocolate flavor and adds moisture.
Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla rounds out the chocolate flavors beautifully.
Salt: Just a pinch balances the sweetness perfectly.
Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: You’ll find the recipe linked below for a luscious, creamy top coat.
Chocolate sprinkles (optional): Adds texture and a fun finishing touch.
Hershey chocolate bars: For cutting into ears that give the black cat its iconic look.
Large heart sprinkles: These become the cute little noses on your cupcakes.
Candy eyes: Because cats need eyes, obviously.
Chocolate pocky sticks: Perfect for creating whiskers that make the face pop.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I love to tweak this Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe depending on the occasion or who I’m baking for. Personalizing these cupcakes keeps them exciting and lets your creativity shine!

Gluten-Free Version: Swap the cake mix for a gluten-free chocolate mix and double-check your pudding and sprinkles are GF-friendly — I did this once for a friend, and the cupcakes were just as delicious!
Dairy-Free Option: Use coconut milk instead of chocolate milk and a dairy-free buttercream; the texture is slightly different but still amazing.
Mint Chocolate: Add a few drops of peppermint extract to the batter and frosting for a refreshing twist that’s always a crowd-pleaser.
Nutty Surprise: Stir in chopped toasted nuts (like pecans or walnuts) for a subtle crunch inside—my family goes crazy for this one.

How to Make Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Line a cupcake pan with liners—it helps keep those cupcakes intact and makes cleanup a breeze. I always use good-quality liners because flimsy ones can get soggy and peel off the cupcake when you grab one.

Step 2: Mix All Your Cupcake Ingredients

Grab a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add your cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, chocolate milk, vanilla, salt, and mini chocolate chips. Mix everything gently but thoroughly, scraping down the sides often. This ensures every bit of batter is even, and those chocolate chips are nicely dispersed. Trust me, you don’t want uneven distribution here.

Step 3: Fill Your Cupcake Liners

Use about a scant ¼ cup of batter per liner—this fills them about three-quarters full, giving the cupcakes the perfect rise without overflowing. Over the years, I learned that overfilling leads to messy tops and uneven baking, so I stick to filling these just right.

Step 4: Bake and Cool

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, then check with a toothpick in the center—it should come out clean. Resist the urge to open the oven too early; I know it’s tempting, but keep it closed so the cupcakes don’t fall flat! Let them sit in the pan a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cooling completely before frosting is key to prevent the buttercream from melting.

Step 5: Frost Like a Pro

While the cupcakes cool, whip up a batch of the Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Pipe a generous swirl on each cupcake for that beautiful, creamy look. Then dip the frosting tops into chocolate sprinkles (if you like) for extra fun texture and sparkle.

Step 6: Create Your Black Cat Faces

Break your Hershey bars into triangles to make ears by first breaking along the short divet, then cutting halves into quarters and slicing those into triangles. Stick two triangles in each cupcake to create ears. Add a heart sprinkle as the nose, then two candy eyes above it. Finally, break pocky sticks in half and insert two pieces into each side of the cupcake as whiskers. It’s so rewarding to see these cute faces come together!

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Pro Tips for Making Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe

Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined to keep cupcakes light and fluffy.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Eggs and sour cream at room temp mix better and prevent a dense crumb.
Chill Your Piping Bag: If your buttercream softens too much while piping, pop the bag in the fridge for a few minutes to get clean, neat swirls.
Place Decorations While Frosting is Slightly Firm: Adding ears and eyes when the frosting isn’t too soft helps them stay put without sinking in.

How to Serve Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe

A round chocolate treat covered fully with small, shiny, dark chocolate sprinkles forms the base. Two large, triangular pieces of milk chocolate are placed on top as ears at the upper edge of the round base. Two white circular candies with black dots in the center are positioned as eyes just below the ears. A small, pink heart-shaped candy is placed in the middle below the eyes as the nose. Three stick-shaped chocolate pieces are arranged horizontally on each side of the nose, resembling whiskers. The treat is shown on a black plate, set against a white marbled background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

For garnish, I’m a fan of chocolate sprinkles because they add a bit of crunch and a subtle sheen that takes the cupcake from sweet to celebration-ready. Sometimes, I swap sprinkles out for crushed Oreo crumbs to give a darker, “spooky” look.

Side Dishes

I usually pair these cupcakes with a glass of cold chocolate milk or rich coffee—something that complements the deep chocolate flavors. If it’s a party, some fresh fruit or a sparkling punch balances the richness beautifully.

Creative Ways to Present

One of my favorite presentation tricks is to place the cupcakes on black plates lined with faux spiderweb doilies for extra Halloween flair. For a kid’s party, I’ve arranged them on tiered stands with paper cutouts of moon and stars scattered around—it makes for a magical dessert display!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftovers (which is rare in my house!), store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. This keeps the texture fresh without drying out the moist crumb that the pudding mix creates.

Freezing

I’ve successfully frozen these cupcakes after baking but before frosting by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer bag. When you’re ready, thaw overnight in the fridge and add frosting fresh for best results.

Reheating

I typically don’t warm cupcakes because I love them room temperature, but if you want warmer cupcakes, pop one in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. Be careful not to overheat, or you’ll melt the frosting and decorations.

FAQs

Can I make this Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe without using a cake mix?

Yes! While the cake mix simplifies the process and guarantees a moist cupcake, you can substitute it with a homemade chocolate cupcake batter. Just be prepared for slightly different texture and bake times. Adding instant pudding to homemade batter is a great idea to keep moisture.
What if I can’t find heart sprinkles?

No worries! You can use any small candy or colored sugar decorations for the cat’s nose. I’ve even used tiny M&M’s or dots of colored frosting to create noses when I ran out of heart sprinkles—it still looks adorable.
Can these cupcakes be made ahead for a party?

Absolutely! You can bake the cupcakes up to 2 days in advance and store them covered at room temperature. Add the frosting and decorations the day of your event to keep the look fresh and crisp.
How do I prevent the chocolate ears from falling off?

Make sure the frosting is firm enough before adding the ears so they’ll stick well. If your frosting is too soft, pop the cupcakes in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to set, then gently insert the chocolate ears.

Final Thoughts

This Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe holds a special place in my heart because it’s more than just a dessert—it’s a way to bring smiles, spark creativity, and add a little magic to gatherings. Whether you’re baking for kids, friends, or just treating yourself, you’ll find the process as delightful as the cupcakes themselves. I’m excited for you to try them and watch everyone’s faces light up when they take a bite of these sweet, furry little friends!