Description
These Spider Web Cupcakes are a moist and delicious chocolate treat perfect for Halloween celebrations. Featuring rich cocoa-flavored cupcakes topped with creamy vanilla buttercream and decorated with spooky spider web designs and candy eyeballs, they offer a fun and festive way to impress friends and family at any fall gathering or Halloween party.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (63g) cocoa powder (natural unsweetened or dutch processed)
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter (1 stick, room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups (297g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (236ml) buttermilk
- 1/2 cup (118ml) hot tap water
Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups (339g) unsalted butter (3 sticks, room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups (227-339g) powdered sugar
- Dash of milk or heavy cream (if frosting becomes too thick)
Decoration
- Candy eyeballs
- Mini Oreos
- Black gel food coloring
- Piping bag
- Wilton #4 piping tip
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 24 cupcake pans with liners and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee granules (if using), baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine evenly.
- Cream butter and sugar: In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the 1/2 cup of softened unsalted butter with the granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and buttermilk to the creamed butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Add hot water: Slowly pour in the hot tap water and mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin, which is expected.
- Fill cupcake liners: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare buttercream frosting: In a large bowl, beat the 1 1/2 cups softened unsalted butter until creamy. Add vanilla extract and gradually add powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition. Add a dash of milk or heavy cream if the frosting is too thick. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Color and fill piping bag: Mix black gel food coloring into a small amount of frosting to create black frosting for decorating. Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #4 tip with the remaining white frosting and a separate piping bag or section with the black frosting.
- Frost cupcakes: Spread or pipe a smooth layer of white frosting over each cupcake.
- Create spider web design: Pipe concentric circles with the black frosting starting from the center to the outer edge of the cupcake. Using a toothpick or skewer, drag lines from the center outwards to create a spider web effect.
- Add spider decorations: Place candy eyeballs on top of the cupcakes. Use mini Oreos to form spider bodies by aligning halves or placing as needed to create spooky spiders on the web.
- Serve and enjoy: Allow frosting to set slightly before serving. These festive cupcakes are perfect for Halloween parties and fun gatherings.
Notes
- These cupcakes are moist and richly chocolatey, thanks to the combination of cocoa and buttermilk.
- The instant coffee granules enhance the chocolate flavor but are optional.
- Use black gel food coloring to achieve the vibrant color without watering down the frosting.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- If frosting becomes too thick, add milk or heavy cream a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Decorations can be customized with other Halloween-themed candies if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
