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Cozy Black Cat Chocolate Spider Cupcakes

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These moist chocolate cupcakes are topped with rich chocolate frosting and decorated as adorable black cat spiders with pretzel legs and candy eyes. A perfect Halloween treat that’s easy to make and sure to delight kids and adults alike.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Ghirardelli)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (preferably Kerrygold)
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (plus more if needed)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 24 thin pretzel sticks (broken in half, 48 half-sticks)
  • 24 candy eyes (e.g., Wilton brand)
  • Black decorating gel (optional, for spider mouths)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift cocoa powder if lumpy.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add dissolved instant coffee mixture and whisk again.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined (a few lumps are fine; do not overmix).
  5. Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about ⅔ full (use a ¼-cup scoop).
  6. Bake in the center of the oven for 18-22 minutes. Test at 18 minutes with a toothpick—should come out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. While cupcakes cool, make frosting: Beat softened butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder, alternating with heavy cream. Add vanilla and salt, then beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until smooth. Adjust consistency with more cream or powdered sugar if needed.
  8. Fit a piping bag with a large round tip (or snip corner of a zip-top bag). Fill with frosting and pipe a generous swirl onto each cooled cupcake.
  9. For each cupcake, gently insert 4 pretzel stick halves into each side of the frosting to create 8 legs, angled slightly.
  10. Place two candy eyes near the center-front of each cupcake, pressing gently into frosting. If needed, dab a bit of frosting on the back to help them stick.
  11. Optional: Use black decorating gel to pipe a tiny smile under the eyes.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature eggs and buttermilk. Do not overmix batter. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use almond or oat milk with lemon juice and dairy-free butter. Cupcakes can be baked a day ahead; frost and decorate the day of serving. Pretzel legs soften over time, so add them no more than 2-3 hours before serving. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cupcakes, spider cupcakes, black cat cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, easy Halloween recipe, spooky treats

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/cozy-black-cat-chocolate-spider-cupcakes-easy-halloween-recipe/