Ghost Cupcakes Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate baking bar, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup hot tap water
• 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (4 sticks)
• 1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 24 large marshmallows
• 16 ounces canned white frosting
• Candy eyeballs
• Black writing icing

Instructions

1. Start by warming up the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grab a muffin pan and line it with some cupcake liners. Take that bittersweet chocolate baking bar and chop it into smaller chunks, then pop it into a microwave-safe bowl. Melt it in the microwave for roughly 2 minutes on half power, and give it a stir here and there until it’s nice and smooth. Let it cool down just a bit.
2. In one bowl, mix together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and a little pinch of salt. Just set that bowl aside for now. In another bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the softened butter and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until it looks light and fluffy.
3. Next, throw in the eggs along with that melted chocolate into the butter mixture. Beat it all together for about 30 seconds until it’s combined. Slowly pour in half of the buttermilk, then add half of the dry ingredients, mixing just until it’s combined. Now add in the rest of the buttermilk and hot water, mixing until it’s all smooth; finally, on low speed, stir in the remaining dry ingredients until you can’t see any streaks.
4. Spoon the batter into each cupcake liner, filling them about halfway. Bake the in your preheated oven for 17 to 19 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. After they’re done baking, let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before you think about frosting them.
5. For the frosting, beat the room temperature butter in a mixing bowl on high speed for around 3 minutes until it’s creamy. Sift in the cocoa powder and 3 cups of powdered sugar, mixing on low until it’s all combined. Then add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, mixing again until everything is blended together.
6. If you find the frosting is a bit too thick, you can gradually add more powdered sugar or an extra tablespoon of heavy cream until it has the consistency you like. When ready, move the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M tip and swirl it beautifully on top of each cooled cupcake.
7. Finish off each frosted cupcake with a large marshmallow. To create that ghostly look, microwave the canned white frosting for around 15 to 30 seconds until it’s pourable. Drizzle it over the marshmallows to achieve that spooky effect. Finally, add some candy eyeballs and use black writing icing for those spooky faces.

Tips

• Make the cupcakes ahead of time and store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• The cupcakes can be frozen for up to a month. Just ensure they are well-wrapped to prevent freezer burn.
• For a fun decoration, you can use different candies for the eyes or even add a sprinkle of edible glitter for a spooky sparkle.