Description
These Creepy Halloween Spider Cupcakes combine rich chocolate pumpkin cupcakes with a smooth black buttercream frosting decorated with adorable fondant spiders, perfect for spooky celebrations.
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 tablespoons black cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Black food coloring
Decoration
- 175 g white fondant
- Tiny green sprinkles (for the spiders’ eyes)
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Liners: Preheat your oven to 175°C and line a cupcake pan with muffin liners or cupcake liners.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together self-raising flour, cocoa powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Sift the mixture and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar and salted butter. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping the sides and bottom halfway through.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next. Scrape the bowl’s sides and bottom midway to ensure even mixing.
- Add Pumpkin and Fold Dry Ingredients: Mix in the pumpkin puree; it’s normal if the mixture curdles. Gradually fold in half of the dry ingredients without overmixing.
- Add Milk and Remaining Flour: Fold in the milk, then fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl thoroughly to combine.
- Mix in Vanilla Extract: Add the vanilla extract and stir well.
- Scoop Batter and Bake: Fill each cupcake liner about three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Let cupcakes rest in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and cover with a kitchen towel to keep moist until completely cool.
- Make Buttercream: Beat the salted butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Sift in powdered sugar and black cocoa powder. Mix lightly with a spatula and then beat on medium speed until smooth and well combined.
- Finish Buttercream: Scrape the bowl and beaters to incorporate all ingredients. Add vanilla extract and beat again. Let the frosting rest 10–20 minutes to deepen color.
- Color Buttercream: If the frosting is not black enough, add black food coloring or a mix of red, green, and brown gel food colors. Mix well and rest another 10–15 minutes.
- Prepare Piping Bags: Transfer buttercream to a piping bag. Fit two more piping bags with a star tip (#1M) and a small round tip (#3).
- Pipe Base Frosting: Insert the buttercream bag into the star tip bag and pipe reverse stars in a circle on each cupcake.
- Shape Fondant Circles: Knead the white fondant until soft and pliable. Roll it out to about ⅛ inch thickness. Cut 2-inch diameter circles—enough for all cupcakes.
- Apply Fondant: Place each fondant circle in the center on top of the piped frosting on every cupcake.
- Pipe Spiders: Switch the buttercream to the small round tip bag. Pipe a small circle for the spider’s body, then a smaller circle for the head in front. Pipe 4 legs on each side.
- Add Eyes: Using tweezers, place two tiny green sprinkles on each spider’s head to resemble eyes.
Notes
- Scrape the bowl during mixing to ensure all ingredients blend evenly with no lumps.
- A cookie scoop or ice cream scoop with a spring release helps keep consistent cupcake sizes.
- Adjust baking time if using liners larger or smaller than 5 cm diameter by 3.5 cm high.
- Cover cupcakes with a kitchen towel while cooling to maintain moisture and prevent drying.
- Lightly mixing powdered sugar and cocoa with a spatula before beating prevents sugar dust from flying.
- Gel-based food coloring is preferred to maintain frosting texture; a red-green-brown mix can substitute black coloring.
- If buttercream quantity is too large for one bag, divide into two bags and swap piping bags as needed.
- Knead fondant well and dust workspace with icing sugar or cornstarch to avoid sticking.
- Fondant sizes can vary depending on cupcake size; adjust cutter accordingly.
- Store cupcakes in an air-conditioned room to avoid fondant sogginess; avoid refrigeration to prevent condensation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
