These spooky black cocoa cupcakes are as close to black cakes as you can get, making them the most perfect Halloween treat. These incredibly moist cupcakes are topped with a classic vanilla buttercream to make adorable ghosts.
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This past weekend, John and I hosted a Board and Cocktail-themed Halloween party, where everyone brought a board to share, and we served pumpkin margaritas and Ina Garten's espresso martinis. We had charcuterie boards, a taco soup board with the most festive Dia de los Muertos decorations, drink boards with adult beverages and some spooky red lemonade drinks served in pouches for the kids, a dessert dip board, and a popcorn and candy themed-board to name a few.
I wandered around the King Arthur retail store that just opened up in our area to get the winner of the best board a prize...and SWOON! It was love at first sight! I saw the black cocoa powder and knew exactly what dessert I was going to make for the party.
These black cocoa cupcakes are made with my absolute favorite chocolate cake recipe. Friends who don't even love chocolate rave about this recipe. Then I top the cupcakes off with a classic vanilla frosting using clear vanilla extract to get that as-close-to-white look as possible for the ghosts.
Why you'll love them
- MOIST, MOIST, MOIST. It's true. These chocolate cupcakes are so flavorful and moist. You will not have a dry cupcake here.
- Twenty-five minutes of your time. You really need about 25 minutes of hands-on time from start to finish to make these cupcakes. This includes making the batter, making the frosting, and doing the frosting.
- Perfect to make with kids. There's a lot of audience participation that can be had in this cupcake recipe. Kids will love making the batter (tasting it, too, of course), mixing the frosting, and making their own ghosts with the vanilla buttercream frosting. We had a lot of laughs with the different personas each ghost seemed to take on based on our frosting.
If you've been following me, you know I love Halloween so much. It's my second favorite holiday right after Christmas. Check out my "Raw Meat" Rice Krispie treats, meringue ghosts, or my favorite spooky skull cakes.
You could also easily turn my chocolate brownie cookies into black cocoa cookies for an even fun and festive cookie!
Don't limit yourself to just Halloween. You could also make these easy black cocoa cupcakes for New Years -- with some beautiful gold sprinkles on top!
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Ingredients You'll Need to make the best black cocoa cupcakes
Ready to make black cocoa cupcakes from scratch? Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- bittersweet chocolate - Feel free to use any kind of chocolate ou like and have on hand. I always choose bittersweet.
- hot water
- sour cream
- whole milk
- canola oil
- eggs - You'll want to make sure these are at room temperature.
- pure vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- black cocoa powder - See below for all the details on buying the best black cocoa powder.
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
For the vanilla buttercream frosting:
- butter - Go for unsalted because you'll add a pinch of salt to taste.
- confectioner's sugar - You'll use between 3 and 4 cups. I usually find myself using about 3.5 cups of confectioner's sugar for my vanilla buttercream frosting.
- clear vanilla extract - You can use pure vanilla extract, but it will make the frosting have a darker hue, not as close to a white as possible (the butter will tint it a bit).
- whole milk - You may want a bit extra on hand in the event you need to thin out your frosting some more.
- salt - Just a pinch will do.
- candy eyes - To make the adorable eyes of the ghost
The recipe card below will have the exact quantities of the ingredients as well as the step-by-step directions.
ALL ABOUT BLACK COCOA powder
Black cocoa powder is used to make the darkest, deepest color you can get naturally in cake. The cocoa is treated with alkaline (so it's super Dutch-processed) to make it less acidic. That way the black cocoa powder isn't bitter to the taste but it's a delicious deep chocolate flavor with a smooth texture.
Black cocoa powder is one of the ingredients used to make Oreos, America's favorite sandwich cookie. What's not to love? For these black cocoa cupcakes, the cocoa makes these cupcakes as close to black as you can get without tasting any bitterness.
Black cocoa powder is found in specialty stores or online. I got my black cocoa powder from King Arthur baking, but you can easily buy on Amazon as well.
How to Make these cupcakes
- Melt the chocolate by pouring one cup of hot water on top and immediately covering with plastic wrap. Let the chocolate melt for 1-2 minutes before whisking the water and chocolate together until completely melted.
- Mix the dry ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Stir in the chocolate mixture to the batter.
- Fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way full with the batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350˚F.
- While cupcakes are baking, make the frosting by whipping the butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the confectioner's sugar, then milk, clear vanilla extract, and salt to taste.
- Place the frosting in a pastry bag or gallon-sized freezer bag and cut the end off. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, making concentric circles for the ghost. Add eyes and voila!
FROSTING LIKE A PRO
If you have a pastry bag, you can create more precise frosting circles by using a Wilton Tip 1A.
Otherwise, use a gallon-sized freezer bag, cut the end off until there's a ½" hole, and pipe concentric circles that way. This is what I've done for these pictures!
Storage
Store the cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container. The black cocoa cupcakes will stay fresh for 3-4 days if stored properly.
To freeze, plastic unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-safe bag. Take cupcakes out of the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before frosting them. Let them sit out to room temperature before serving.
FAQ
It's as healthy as regular Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is heavy in antioxidants and minerals.
Yes, you absolutely can. Keep in mind the cake will not be as dark. The cake will be a deep brown instead of nearly black color.
OTHER SPOOKY FAVORITES
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The Best Black Cocoa Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup canola oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup black cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the vanilla buttercream frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3-4 cups confectioner's sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract feel free to use pure vanilla extract as well
- ½ teaspoon salt
- candy eyes
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place cupcake liners in muffin pan. Set aside.
- Put the bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl. Pour the hot water over it and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Let sit for 2 minutes before stirring and making sure the chocolate is melted.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the sour cream, milk, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt on low until combined. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the sour cream mixture. Increase the speed to medium and beat until combined.
- Slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the batter and mix until just combined. Using a spatula, give the batter a couple of turns to make sure it is fully mixed.
- Fill the cupcake liners with batter about ¾ full. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
For the frosting
- Whip the butter in a stand mixer with whisk attachment or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Slowly add in the first 3 cups of confectioner's sugar. Add milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk until well combined. If you need the frosting to be a bit stiffer to pipe, slowly add a bit more confectioner's sugar.
- Place the frosting in a gallon sized freezer bag. Cut the tip of the bag off so it has a ½" hole. Pipe concentric circles around each of the cupcakes to make your ghost. Add eyes.
Lauren says
Soooo yum!!
Kathryn says
Thanks so much, Lauren!
<3, Kathryn
Connor says
Best desert ever! Definitely give it a try!