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Spooky Black Cocoa Halloween Cupcakes – Easy Recipe

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Deep, dark black cocoa cupcakes with bright orange frosting that taste like Oreos and look like little lumps of charcoal. Perfect for Halloween parties and guaranteed to impress.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – 1 ½ cups (180g)
  • Black cocoa powder – ½ cup (50g)
  • Granulated sugar – 1 cup (200g)
  • Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
  • Baking powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Salt – ½ teaspoon
  • Large eggs – 2, at room temperature
  • Whole milk – 1 cup (240ml)
  • Vegetable oil – ½ cup (120ml)
  • Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
  • Hot coffee – ½ cup (120ml)
  • Unsalted butter – 1 cup (226g), softened
  • Powdered sugar – 3 ½ cups (420g), sifted
  • Heavy cream – 3-4 tablespoons
  • Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Orange gel food coloring – a few drops
  • Salt – a pinch
  • Halloween sprinkles (optional)
  • Black sanding sugar (optional)
  • Candy eyeballs (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, black cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift if cocoa is lumpy.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Pour in hot coffee and fold into the batter. Batter will be thin and liquidy.
  6. Fill each liner about two-thirds full using a cookie scoop or measuring cup.
  7. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes with a toothpick. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, they are done.
  8. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. While cupcakes cool, make frosting: Beat softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  10. Add sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low speed after each addition.
  11. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, beating on medium speed until smooth and spreadable.
  12. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, then beat on high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  13. Add orange gel food coloring a few drops at a time, mixing thoroughly until desired shade is reached.
  14. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a generous swirl onto each cooled cupcake.
  15. Add sprinkles, sanding sugar, or candy eyeballs while frosting is still soft.

Notes

Don’t skip the hot coffee—it blooms the cocoa for deeper flavor and makes cupcakes moist. Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly. Use the toothpick test to avoid overbaking. Cool completely before frosting. Gel food coloring is better than liquid for vibrant color without thinning the frosting.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cupcakes, black cocoa cupcakes, spooky cupcakes, orange frosting, easy Halloween dessert

Find it online: https://gleefulfork.com/spooky-black-cocoa-halloween-cupcakes-easy-recipe/