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Best Black Velvet Halloween Cupcakes – Easy Spooky Recipe

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These Best Black Velvet Halloween Cupcakes are dark, dramatic, and delicious—the kind of cupcake that makes people do a double-take. They’re surprisingly easy to make, with a moist, tender crumb and a rich, Oreo-like flavor from black cocoa powder.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (50g) black cocoa powder
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Orange and black sprinkles (optional)
  • Candy eyeballs (optional)
  • Chocolate spider rings (optional)
  • Black sanding sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, black cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and white vinegar until fully incorporated.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula or whisk until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
  6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The tops should spring back when lightly touched.
  7. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low speed. Add the vanilla and salt, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for another 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  9. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a swirl onto each cooled cupcake.
  10. Decorate with sprinkles, candy eyes, or spider rings right away, before the frosting sets.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients matter for best texture. Don’t skip the vinegar—it reacts with baking soda for a lighter crumb. Black cocoa powder stains everything, so wear an apron. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting to avoid melting. For a deeper black color, let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes before baking. These cupcakes taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: black velvet cupcakes, Halloween cupcakes, black cocoa cupcakes, spooky cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, easy Halloween dessert

Find it online: https://lindabake.com/best-black-velvet-halloween-cupcakes-easy-spooky-recipe/