Halloween is so much fun with these spider web cupcakes! Deeply chocolaty, and so fun for the kids to make!
Halloween is coming!
We are obsessed with Halloween in our home. We've been preparing for Halloween since September carving pumpkin after pumpkin and watching every single Halloween movie we can get our hands on.
We've been reading all the Halloween stories and costumes have been picked and perfected ages ago.
Out of all the holidays in the year, it's one of the most fun, especially when you have kids to celebrate with. But even when you don't, a good scare and a chance to get dressed up and hang out is still a good time.
Either way, cupcakes are needed. And these spider web cupcakes are perfect no matter who your audience is. They're fun and easy to make with kids, but still appealing for adults without being too cheesy.
We make these cupcakes using my new favorite Devil's Food cupcake recipe because I mean, obviously. I am obsessed with this cupcake. I thought I had a good chocolate cupcake recipe before, but the devil's food takes the cake (get it? haha.... don't mind me).
It's so moist and deeply chocolaty. They're so dark it's almost black (I recommend using a Dutch-processed cocoa powder like Rodelle to get that deliciously rich color).
How to Decorate Spider Web Cupcakes
So decorating these Halloween spider web cupcakes are so fun and easy to make... and just a little messy, but in a good way! Once you've frosted your cupcakes, you heat a marshmallow a few seconds, then comes the messy part. You take the softened marshmallow - which will be gooey in the middle - between your fingers, and stretch.
Once it is stringy, wrap it around randomly over the frosting. It does get tricky ending the wrapping, so I tend to just use the edge of the cupcake liner to loosen the marshmallow off my fingers.
My favorite trick is to pinch a big of marshmallow, then slowly open my finger and thumb. You get a really nice webby section that is easy to place on the frosting and release from your fingers.
I recommend playing around to find your own favorite technique.
You can also use food coloring to change the color of the web - green, red, or orange would be really fun! If you have them, a fake spider would be the perfect topper to each spider web cupcake!
The Seriously Dark Frosting
The cocoa powder helps to darken the frosting nicely already, so we need only a few drops of black food coloring to give it a boost.
The best thing to do is blend in the food coloring completely, then leave the frosting covered for a while to allow the color to deepen and develop.
If you are into Halloween cupcakes the way I am, you will also want to try these Black Velvet Cupcakes and these Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes. Want something with more gore? Try my Bloody White Cake.
Spider Web Cupcakes
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup coffee
- ½ cup Dutch processed cocoa
- 4 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
For the Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 3 - 4 tablespoons heavy cream or as needed
- 4 - 5 drops black food coloring
- marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake tin with liners.
- Set up a double boiler by filling a small saucepan with an inch or two of water.
- Place a heatproof bowl that is bitter than the saucepan on top.
- Heat the saucepan on medium-high until the water starts to boil, then turn off the heat.
- Add the butter, oil, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, and sugar together.
- Stir well and keep mixing until the butter and chocolate are melted and well-combined. Remove the bowl away from the saucepan.
- Add in the vanilla, salt, and eggs and beat vigorously.
- Stir in the flour and baking soda. Mix until just combined.
- Evenly divide the batter among the cupcake liners and bake for 16 - 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached.
- Allow to cool completely. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.
- Cream the butter and then add the powdered sugar and cocoa one cup at a time. Sprinkle in the salt and add in the food coloring.
- Mix in the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. The frosting may not look completely black yet, but the color develops over time.
- Fill a piping bag with the frosting and pipe on top of the cupcakes.
- Heat one marshmallow at a time for about 10 seconds. Make strings with the marshmallow by pinching some and stretching it over the frosting. If the marshmallow gets too stiff for you to stretch, pop in the microwave for another 5 seconds. Repeat using as many marshmallows as required to cover all the cupcakes.
Tiffany says
Can you substitute or leave out the coffee in this recipe?
Thanks
Amanda Powell says
Hi Tiffany! Yes, you may leave out the coffee, but you will need to substitute it with another liquid. Water works well, but you can also try something like milk (Full disclosure, I never tried the recipe using milk personally, but I’ve had someone say it worked for them)
Suzy says
We are obsessed too! Love the look of these cupcakes! Saving these for our party!