Print

Kid-Friendly Black Velvet Spider Web Cupcakes for Halloween

Kid-Friendly Black Velvet Spider Web Cupcakes for Halloween - featured image
Print Recipe

These spooky yet simple black velvet cupcakes feature a moist, tender crumb and a tangy cream cheese frosting topped with an easy spider web design made with a sandwich bag and toothpick. Perfect for Halloween parties, they come together in under an hour and are so kid-friendly that even a five-year-old can help decorate.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups (180g)
  • Granulated sugar, 1 cup (200g)
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ cup (20g)
  • Baking soda, 1 teaspoon
  • Salt, ½ teaspoon
  • Buttermilk, ½ cup (120ml), room temperature
  • Vegetable oil, ½ cup (120ml)
  • Large egg, 1, room temperature
  • Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
  • White vinegar, 1 teaspoon
  • Black gel food coloring, 1 to 2 teaspoons
  • Hot water, ½ cup (120ml)
  • Cream cheese, 8 ounces (226g), softened
  • Unsalted butter, ½ cup (113g), softened
  • Powdered sugar, 3 cups (360g)
  • Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon (for frosting)
  • Pinch of salt (for frosting)
  • Milk, 1 to 2 tablespoons, as needed
  • White frosting, about ½ cup (for decoration)
  • Toothpick or skewer
  • Plastic sandwich bag
  • Optional: Candy spiders or plastic spider rings

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the rack in the center position. Line your muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a separate larger bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract, and white vinegar until smooth.
  4. Add 1 teaspoon of black gel food coloring to the wet ingredients and stir. Add more coloring if needed, ½ teaspoon at a time, until you’re happy with the color.
  5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined.
  6. Pour in the hot water and stir until the batter is smooth and thin.
  7. Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full using a cookie scoop or ¼ cup measure.
  8. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
  9. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
  10. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
  11. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on each one.
  12. Spoon about ½ cup of white frosting into a plastic sandwich bag. Snip off a tiny corner (about ⅛ inch). Squeeze a small circle of white frosting in the center of each cupcake, then pipe concentric circles around it, spacing them about ½ inch apart (3 or 4 circles total).
  13. Take a toothpick and drag it from the center circle outward through all the circles. Do this 6 to 8 times around the cupcake, like drawing spokes on a wheel. Then drag the toothpick through the circles in the opposite direction, connecting the spokes. The spider web pattern will appear.
  14. Optional: Place a candy spider or plastic spider ring on top of each cupcake.

Notes

Use black gel food coloring (not liquid) for a true black color. Room temperature ingredients are important for best texture. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting. Practice the spider web technique on a plate first if needed. Frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cupcakes, spider web cupcakes, black velvet cupcakes, kid-friendly Halloween treats, easy Halloween dessert

Find it online: https://juliamadeit.com/kid-friendly-black-velvet-spider-web-cupcakes-for-halloween/