Description

Blood Drip Cupcakes are a spooky and delicious treat perfect for Halloween or themed parties. These rich chocolate cupcakes are moist and flavorful thanks to the addition of malt powder and espresso. Topped with smooth buttercream frosting and a striking shard of homemade glass candy, they’re finished with a dramatic red food coloring gel ‘blood drip’ effect that makes these cupcakes both fun and visually impressive.

Ingredients

Scale

Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup malt powder
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup boiling water

Buttercream Frosting

2 cups buttercream frosting (prepared or homemade)

Glass Candy

1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/2 cups water

Decoration

Red food coloring gel, for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
Make Cupcakes: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, combine the flour, cocoa powder, malt powder, sugar, instant coffee, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. In another bowl or directly add, incorporate the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is well combined, about 2 minutes. Carefully stir in 3/4 cup of boiling water and continue mixing until incorporated. The batter will be thin.
Bake Cupcakes: Pour the batter into the lined cupcake tins, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make Glass Candy: Line a baking sheet with foil. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine light corn syrup, sugar, cream of tartar, and water. Stir until mixture begins to boil, then stop stirring. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and use a wet pastry brush to wash down any sugar crystals from the sides. Bring the mixture to 300°F (hard crack stage). Immediately pour the hot candy mixture onto the prepared foil-lined baking sheet and let it cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Once hardened, break the candy into shards.
Assemble Cupcakes: Pipe or spread buttercream frosting generously on each cooled cupcake. Insert a shard of the glass candy into the center of each frosted cupcake. Using red food coloring gel, pipe a “blood drip” effect around the edge of the frosting to create a spooky finishing touch.

Notes

Use malt powder to deepen the chocolate flavor and add complexity to the cupcakes.
Instant coffee enhances the cocoa flavor without making the cupcakes taste like coffee.
Be careful when handling the hot candy mixture, as it reaches very high temperatures.
The glass candy shards add an impressive dramatic look but must be eaten cautiously to avoid injury.
You can prepare the glass candy a day in advance and store it in an airtight container to save time on the day of serving.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake with frosting and candy shard
Calories: 380
Sugar: 42g
Sodium: 180mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 0.2g
Carbohydrates: 52g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 55mg