Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes and Chocolate Buttercream Icing Recipes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 409kcal
These adorable, delicious and only slightly creepy Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Icing will delight both your big and little kids!
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Ingredients
Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes Ingredients:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
Chocolate Halloween Buttercream Icing Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3-½ cups confectioners sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Halloween Cupcake Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a regular muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside.
- Add the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla to a medium-size bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Pour half of the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Then add half of the buttermilk. Stir until just combined.
- Add the other half of the egg mixture and the remaining buttermilk. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to fill each muffin cup halfway. Do not overfill.
- Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Start checking at 18 minutes to avoid overcooking the cupcakes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Chocolate Halloween Buttercream Icing Directions:
- Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat the butter on medium speed until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, cream or milk, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase the mixer to high speed and beat for about 2 minutes. (If the frosting is too thin, add a little more confectioners' sugar, if it is too thick, add a little more cream or milk.)
- To frost the cupcakes, use a spatula to smooth the icing over the top or place the icing in a piping bag and pipe the icing on the top of the cupcake. (I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to frost mine.)
Notes
Sharon's Expert Tips:
When measuring your flour, be sure to use a spoon to "fluff up" the flour first, and then use that spoon to fill the measuring cup with flour. Then use the flat edge of a knife to level off the flour to ensure a precise measurement.
Be sure to take the eggs out of the refrigerator at least one hour prior to making the cupcakes so they will be at room temperature. If you forget to do this, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water and let them sit for 10 minutes or so to warm up.
If you don't have any buttermilk, don't worry, you can make your own. Simply add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice to ½ cup of whole milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
I recommend "greaseproof" cupcake liners. They are slightly more expensive than regular cupcake liners, but they don't stick to the cupcakes like regular cupcake liners.
You can make the cupcakes up to one day ahead of frosting them. Keep them tightly covered at room temperature until you are ready to frost. Unfrosted cupcakes can also be frozen for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature before serving or frosting.
The butter has to be at room temperature to achieve perfect results with the icing. Be sure to take the butter out of the refrigerator at least an hour before you make the icing. If you forget to do this, place it in a microwave for about 10-15 seconds to soften it.
If you want to get fancy, here is a link to a good cupcake frosting YouTube video that will show you step-by-step how to pipe frosting on your cupcakes. It also has some cute cupcake decorating ideas.
If you are in a hurry or just don't have the time or inclination to make and frost homemade cupcakes, just stop by a bakery and purchase premade chocolate cupcakes and decorate them however you like. I won't tell, and nobody else will know!
Nutrition
Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 4.5mg
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