CUPCAKE MASSACRE {Halloween Special}

Happy Halloween errybady!

It’s not that late to whip up a batch of these scary yet cute cupcakes.

Cupcake Massacre. This would make for a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween celebration!

 

Halloween or not, these cupcakes make for an adorable treat minus the blood splatters.

And they’re super easy too.

Cupcake Massacre. This would make for a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween celebration!

Here’s what you need to make this cupcake massacre for your Halloween party:

Cupcakes

I posted a recipe of my favorite chocolate cupcakes just a few days ago. You can find the recipe HERE. They’re super moist, fudgy and will make for the perfect base for all the spooky décor on top.

Frosting

I used my recipe for Buttercream frosting I posted years ago for all the cupcakes. Buttercream is light and creamy and holds its shape perfectly for piping.

Recipe: HERE and HERE

Owl Cupcakes

 

These wide eyed Owl Cupcakes make for an adorably gory Halloween treat!

You will need:

Chocolate Frosting

Red M&Ms

Chocolate chips or chocolate M&Ms

Oreos

Method:

  1. Spread chocolate frosting on top of the cupcake.

  2. Push two Oreo wedges into the top edge of the cupcake to make the ears.

  3. Top with two whole Oreo halves, icing side up for eyes. Dot the bottom of two chocolate chips or chocolate M&Ms with frosting and place on top of Oreo halves for eyeballs.

  4. Place a red M&M in the center for the nose.

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

 

Gashed up cookie monster cupcakes

You will need:

Blue tinted Frosting (using Americolor Sky Blue Food Coloring)

Plain White frosting

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mini Chocolate Chips

Multi-Opening Decorating Tip (Wilton Cake Decorating Tip 233)

Plain round piping tip

Disposable Piping Bag

Method:

  1. Spread a thin layer of blue frosting on top of the cupcake

  2. Fill a piping bag fitted with the multi-opening piping tip and fill it with the remaining blue frosting

  3. Make the Cookie Monster’s fur by applying even pressure to the piping bag and pulling directly up. (Watch this tutorial for a better idea) Cover the entire top of the Cookie Monster Cupcake with blue fur.

  4. Pipe small dots of plain white frosting as the two eyes. Place a mini chocolate chip on each as eyeballs.

  5. Stick one half of a chocolate chip cookie into the frosting to represent the Cookie Monsters’ mouth.

(on some cupcakes, I used the white part of an Oreo as the base of the eyes. But I think the white frosting looks better)

Bloody Broken Glass Cupcakes

*Inspired by the awesome Scran Line

Broken glass cupcakes with gashes and dribbles of blood.

You will need:

Grey tinted Frosting (using Wilton Black Food Coloring)

Edible Blood

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 M Wilton round Piping Tip

Disposable Piping Bag

Rice Crispies

Method:

  1. To prepare the sugar glass, melt the sugar in a pan over medium high heat till it starts changing color (do NOT stir). Pour onto a greased dish, throw on top some sugar crystals for a jaded effect and set aside to harden.

  2. Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. Pipe swirls of frosting onto the cupcake.

  3. Using a knife, make gashes into the piped frosting. Drizzle the edible blood on top and let it trickle down the gashes.

  4. Top with shards of the prepared sugar glass.

Bloody cupcakes with maggots and gashes.

Or throw on some maggots aka Rice Crispies.

Bloody cupcakes with maggots and gashes.

Group them together.

Drizzle spatters of blood on top and there you have it!

Your very own cupcake massacre.

Cupcake Massacre. This would make for a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween celebration!

 

This would make for a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween celebration!

It’s definitely an attention grabber.

Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

I’ve made a lot of cupcakes in my time. Some using one egg, two eggs, some with no eggs. Some with butter, some with oil. Some with coffee, some without.

I’ve tried all kinds of variations in the hope of finding the perfectly moist, melt-in-your mouth chocolate cupcake.

And trust me when I tell you, I have finally found my favorite version to share with you.

This is it!

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

This ridiculously easy, no mixer-needed recipe takes literally minutes to put together. And the result you ask? Sheer perfection.

Rich, moist, indulgent, and deliciously chocolatey; the perfect base for a big swirl of frosting.

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

 

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

These cupcakes pair well with all kinds of different flavors;

  • Peanut butter

  • Oreos

  • Peppermint

  • Salted caramel!!

But chocolate on chocolate is my favorite way to go.

 

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

This frosting is a Chocolate Fudge Buttercream: rich, fudgy whipped buttery goodness. It’s making my mouth salivate just writing about it…

Its dark, creamy and o’so dreamy.

This frosting will BLOW. YOUR. MIND.

The chocolate cupcakes are made with cocoa. The flavor is very dark, but not bitter in the least.

Then the combination of oil, coffee & buttermilk makes these cupcakes super moist. The cupcakes in no way taste of coffee. The hot coffee just helps the cocoa “bloom” and develop the intense chocolate flavor making them darker and richer.

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

Important tip!!
Make sure you fill the cupcake liners only 2/3 of the way full. Not ½ or all the way to the top.

Cupcake conundrums

Overfilling will lead to overflowing of the batter and result in flat mushroom tops.

Underfilling will result in tiny cupcakes with an unappealing overhang of the cupcake liner

If you want the perfectly risen cupcake…2/3 is the way to go!

 

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudgy chocolate frosting

Everyone should have a classic chocolate cupcake recipe in their life.

This is mine.

.

.

.

Hope you love it as much as I do.

If you do try it, post a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #spatulainmypocket

I love to see all your creations 🙂

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Prep Time: 5 minutes                                                                        Yields: 12 cupcakes
Cook Time: 15 to 18 minutes
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cupcakes
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cornflour, leveled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature1
1/4 cup hot coffee2
3 Tablespoon oil
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Chocolate Frosting
6 tablespoons (90g)  butter, softened to room temperature
2 and 1/2 cup icing’ sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
4-6 Tablespoons milk

 

Directions:
For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Line a cupcake pan with liners.
In a large bowl; whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cornflour, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, coffee, oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry while whisking vigorously; batter will be thin. (Pouring batter into a measuring jug makes it much easier to distribute into the cupcake pan.)
Portion out batter into cupcake tins.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until springy to the touch.
Allow to cool completely.
For the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy. Turn speed to low and slowly add the sugar, and the cocoa powder. Add tablespoons of milk in between. Beat until sugar/cocoa are absorbed into the butter, about 2 minutes. Turn mixer to medium speed and add the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat till frosting is smooth and shiny. Add more milk if frosting is stiff. Add more sugar if frosting is too loose.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Top with sprinkles if desired.
These cupcakes are best at room temperature and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
1.      Homemade buttermilk: ¼ tsp vinegar + 1/3 cup whole milk.
2.    I use a ¼ cup boiling water mixed with a ¼ tsp of instant coffee granules.