Description
Delightfully spooky and delicious, these Easy Halloween Cupcakes feature rich chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy vanilla buttercream frosting. Perfectly decorated with mini chocolate chip ghosts, spider webs, and skull designs, these cupcakes make a festive treat for any Halloween celebration. Moist, chocolatey, and beautifully adorned, they’re sure to impress guests and satisfy sweet cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cup (156 g) all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (96 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (nonalkalized)
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (or coffee powder)
- 1 cup (240 mL) boiling water
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, room temperature
Decorations
- 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard muffin tins with paper liners and set aside to ensure cupcakes bake evenly and don’t stick.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside this mixture to incorporate later.
- Mix Cocoa and Espresso: In another medium bowl, whisk the unsweetened cocoa powder and espresso powder. Add the boiling water and whisk until smooth. Let this mixture cool to room temperature before stirring in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. This step is crucial for a light cupcake texture.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed to fully incorporate all ingredients.
- Combine Ingredients: Add one-third of the flour mixture to the batter on low speed until just combined. Then add half of the chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Repeat the process, finishing with the remaining flour mixture. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the bowl sides and mix for an additional 10 seconds to ensure everything is thoroughly blended.
- Fill Muffin Tins and Bake: Transfer the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Using an ice cream scoop can help portion uniformly. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with little to no crumbs.
- Cool Cupcakes: Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring the cupcakes maintain moisture and texture.
- Prepare Buttercream Frosting: In a clean mixing bowl, whip room temperature butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until fluffy. Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar on low speed until fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium, add vanilla extract and salt, and beat until light and fluffy. Add milk as needed to reach the desired consistency.
- Melt Chocolate for Decoration: Melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth. Transfer to a zip-top bag and allow it to cool slightly for decorating.
- Decorate Ghost Cupcakes: Using a large round frosting tip, pipe a cone-shaped ghost on each cupcake. Place mini chocolate chips as eyes for a spooky effect.
- Decorate Spider Web Cupcakes: Spread an even layer of frosting over each cupcake with an offset spatula. Snip a small hole in the corner of the chocolate-filled bag and pipe a dot in the center, then three concentric circles around it. Drag a toothpick from the center outward multiple times to create a spider web pattern.
- Decorate Skull Cupcakes: Spread frosting evenly on cupcakes. Using the melted chocolate in the bag, pipe two large eyes, two small dots for the nose, and a stitched smile resembling Jack Skellington for a festive skull look.
Notes
- You can substitute the homemade cupcake batter with a store-bought mix and follow its instructions for a quicker preparation.
- If the buttercream frosting is too soft, chill it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes, then briefly re-whip for a better piping consistency.
- For best results with chocolate melting and decoration, consider reviewing basic chocolate melting tips to prevent seizing.
- Store finished cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 3 days to keep them fresh.
- For longer storage, freeze cupcakes for up to 1 month and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 411 kcal
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 131 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 77 mg
