Description
These Creepy Halloween Spider Cupcakes are a fun and festive treat perfect for spooky celebrations. Moist chocolate pumpkin cupcakes are topped with rich black buttercream frosting and decorated with white fondant spiders featuring tiny green sprinkle eyes, bringing a creepy-cute vibe to your Halloween party.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 180 g self raising flour
- 20 g cocoa powder
- 100 g salted butter
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 200 g pumpkin puree
- 100 ml milk
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Buttercream
- 450 g powdered sugar
- 225 g salted butter
- 2 tablespoon black cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Black food coloring
Decoration
- 175 g white fondant
- Tiny green sprinkles (for the spiders’ eyes)
Instructions
- Bake the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a cupcake pan with muffin or cupcake liners. In a bowl, whisk together self-raising flour, cocoa powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Sift the mixture and set aside. In another bowl, cream sugar and salted butter together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping down the bowl halfway. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping the sides and bottom for thorough mixing. Add pumpkin puree and mix until combined, allowing the mixture to curdle. Fold in half the dry ingredients gently, then add milk and fold again, followed by the remaining dry ingredients. Mix in vanilla extract. Scoop the batter into liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to rest in tin for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Cover with a kitchen towel while cooling to keep moist.
- Make the black buttercream frosting: Beat salted butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Sift in powdered sugar and black cocoa powder. Mix lightly with a spatula before using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Scrape the bowl and beaters to incorporate all ingredients. Add vanilla extract and beat again. The buttercream will appear grey; let it rest for 10-20 minutes to deepen the color. If needed, add a few drops of black gel food coloring or a blend of red, green, and brown gel colors for a true black hue. Mix well and rest again for 10-15 minutes. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (#1M) and another with a small round tip (#3).
- Decorate the cupcakes: Using the star tip, pipe reverse stars in a circle pattern on each cooled cupcake. Roll out white fondant to about ⅛ inch thickness and cut circles approximately 2 inches in diameter (enough to cover cupcakes). Place each fondant circle centrally atop each frosted cupcake. Switch to the round tip bag with black buttercream. Pipe a small circle for the spider’s body, then a slightly smaller one in front for the head. Pipe four legs on each side of the body. Use tweezers to place two tiny green sprinkles onto the spider’s head as eyes.
Notes
- Scraping the bowl during mixing ensures all ingredients are fully combined with no pockets of unmixed portions.
- Using a cookie or ice cream scoop with a spring release helps maintain uniform cupcake sizes.
- Cupcake liners used measure approximately 5 cm diameter at the bottom and 3.5 cm high; adjust baking time for different liner sizes.
- Cover cupcakes with a kitchen towel while cooling to keep them moist and prevent drying out.
- Mixing powdered sugar with a spatula before beating prevents sugar dust flying when using the mixer.
- Gel-based food coloring is preferred to preserve frosting texture; alternatives include blending red, green, and brown gel colors to achieve a similar black tone.
- If too much frosting for one piping bag, use two bags and replace as needed during decorating.
- Knead fondant well to make it smooth and pliable; dust workspace with icing sugar or cornstarch to prevent sticking.
- Fondant cutout size can be adjusted to cupcake size. Avoid refrigerating cupcakes after fondant is placed to prevent condensation and sogginess; keep in a cool, air-conditioned environment instead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
