Description
Deliciously moist chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy buttercream frosting and a spooky bloody candy knife decoration, perfect for Halloween festivities.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Decoration
- Red gel blood
- Candy knife
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Incorporate Wet and Dry: Add half of the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, then add half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk until just combined.
- Finish Batter: Add the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk to the batter. Stir gently to combine; the batter will be slightly thin.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: Using a mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until light and creamy. If the mixture is too stiff or dry, add heavy whipping cream a few drops at a time until it reaches a smooth consistency.
- Check Frosting Consistency: Test the frosting by placing a spoonful upside down; it should hold a stiff peak. If not, add powdered sugar in ½ cup increments until stiff peaks form.
- Pipe Frosting: Transfer the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe the frosting starting from the outside edge of each cupcake, spiraling inward toward the center.
- Decorate: Drip red gel blood along the sides of the frosting to create a spooky effect. Insert a candy knife into the center of each frosted cupcake to complete the decoration.
Notes
- Chocolate cupcakes with creepy bloody knives make for a perfect Halloween treat.
- Ensure ingredients like eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature for best results.
- You can adjust the amount of red gel blood to your preferred level of creepiness.
- For easier piping, make sure the frosting is soft but holds its shape.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 243 kcal
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 121 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg
