Nothing sets the mood for spooky season quite like a tray of jet-black cupcakes sitting on the dessert table. These Black Halloween Cupcakes are made with black cocoa powder for a deep, dramatic color, filled with a bright raspberry "blood" center, and finished with swirls of black chocolate buttercream and a drippy raspberry drizzle. Bite into one, and it looks like a scene straight out of a horror movie, in the most delicious way!
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If you love baking with black cocoa as much as I do, try my Halloween Chocolate Oreo Cookies next!
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Why You'll Love These Halloween Cupcakes!
I've been on a black cocoa kick all season, and these black cocoa cupcakes might just be my favorite way to use it yet. The cake is soft, tender, and so moist thanks to the oil and Greek yogurt, and a spoonful of espresso powder makes the chocolate flavor really come alive. Then there's the surprise inside. That tart raspberry filling cuts right through the rich chocolate and gives every bite a gorgeous (and a little creepy) pop of red.
Here's why these are going to be the star of your Halloween party:
- Jet black with no food coloring: Black cocoa powder gives both the cake and the frosting their deep, spooky color, so there's no need for gel dye.
- A bloody surprise inside: The raspberry filling oozes out when you bite in, making these the ultimate red-and-black Halloween cupcakes.
- Moist and tender: Oil and Greek yogurt keep these moist black velvet cupcakes soft and fluffy for days.
- Make-ahead friendly: The frosting actually gets darker when you make it ahead so you can spread the work out over a couple of days.
- A showstopper for parties: Halloween-themed cupcakes with black frosting and a raspberry drip look impressive on any dessert table, but they're surprisingly simple to pull off.
Equipment Needed
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- large mixing bowls
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- standard 12-cup muffin pan
- cupcake liners
- #20 cookie scoop
- small saucepan
- fine mesh sieve
- paring knife or cupcake corer
- piping bags (or a Ziploc bag)
- Wilton 1M piping tip
- wire cooling rack
Key Ingredients
For the Black Cupcakes
All-purpose flour: Gives these cupcakes their soft, tender crumb. Be sure to spoon and level your flour so you don't pack in too much.
Black cocoa powder: This is the magic ingredient! Black cocoa powder is a heavily Dutch-processed cocoa that's been treated to reduce its acidity, giving it a deep, almost black color and a smooth, mellow chocolate flavor. It's what turns these into true black Halloween cupcakes without a drop of food coloring. You can use regular Dutch-processed cocoa powder, but you won't get the same dramatic color.
Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of caramel flavor, while granulated sugar keeps the crumb light.
Baking soda and baking powder: Using both gives the cupcakes a nice lift and that pretty domed top.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate flavor.
Espresso powder: I really think this is crucial! It won't make your cupcakes taste like coffee. It just makes the chocolate taste richer and deeper.
Neutral oil: Vegetable or canola oil keeps these cupcakes incredibly moist, even after a day or two.
Eggs, room temperature: Help bind the batter and add richness. Room temperature eggs blend in smoothly.
Whole milk, room temperature: Adds moisture and helps create a silky batter.
Whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream, room temperature: This is my secret to extra moist black velvet cupcakes. It adds a subtle tang and a super tender texture.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and rounds out all that chocolate flavor.
For the Black Chocolate Buttercream
Butter, room temperature: Softened butter whips up light and creamy, giving you a smooth frosting that pipes beautifully.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
Black cocoa powder: Turns the frosting a deep, dark shade that only gets darker as it sits.
Vanilla extract: A little vanilla balances the rich chocolate flavor.
Whole milk: Add a little at a time until the frosting reaches the perfect piping consistency.
For the Raspberry "Blood" Filling
Frozen raspberries: Frozen berries break down quickly and give you that bright, blood-red color. No need to thaw them first.
Sugar: Sweetens the tart raspberries just enough.
Cornstarch and water: This simple slurry thickens the raspberry filling so it holds in the center of the cupcake and drips slowly over the frosting.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Make the Black Chocolate Frosting
For the darkest, jet-black frosting, I like to make it a day or more in advance and store it in the refrigerator. When you're ready to frost, bring it back to room temperature and give it a quick rewhip.
Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until smooth.
Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add the powdered sugar and black cocoa powder.
Add the vanilla extract, then add the milk a little at a time until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
Make the Black Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F. This recipe makes 14 cupcakes, so line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners, plus two additional liners for a second batch.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, black cocoa powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.
In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a spatula to stir until combined.
Divide the batter evenly among the 14 cupcake liners. Don't try to squeeze all of the batter into 12 liners, or they'll overflow as they rise and you'll lose that pretty domed top! I used a #20 cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), which divided the batter out perfectly.
Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Bake the remaining two cupcakes the same way.
Make the Raspberry Filling
While the cupcakes cool, make the raspberry filling. Add the frozen raspberries and sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the raspberries begin to release their juices and break down, using a spatula or the back of a spoon to mash them up.
Stir the cornstarch into the cold water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the raspberries and keep stirring until the mixture thickens.
Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat and press the filling through a fine mesh sieve to strain out the seeds. Set aside to cool completely.
Assemble the Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a paring knife or cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake.
Spoon the cooled raspberry filling into each cavity, then place a little piece of the removed cupcake back on top. Save the leftover raspberry filling for drizzling.
Add the black frosting to a piping bag and pipe it onto the cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1M tip for my swirls.
Add the remaining raspberry filling to another piping bag or a Ziploc bag. Snip a very small hole in the corner and carefully drip the raspberry "blood" over the frosted cupcakes.
Make Ahead
These Halloween black cupcakes are perfect for planning ahead! Make the black chocolate frosting a day or more in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. It actually darkens as it sits, so making it early is the best way to get that deep, jet-black color. Just bring it back to room temperature and re-whip it before piping.
Storage
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. If refrigerated, let them come back to room temperature before serving so the frosting softens and the cake tastes its best.
Expert Tips
- Use black cocoa powder in both the cupcakes and the frosting for that true jet-black color. Regular cocoa powder will give you a brown cupcake.
- Don't skip the espresso powder! It deepens the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee.
- Make sure your eggs, milk, and yogurt are at room temperature so the batter comes together smoothly.
- Stick to 14 cupcakes. Overfilling the liners will cause the batter to spill over instead of creating a nice domed top.
- Let the cupcakes and the raspberry filling cool completely before assembling, or the filling will soak into the cake and the frosting will melt.
- If you'd like tall, bakery-style swirls of frosting, double the frosting recipe.
- Cut a very small hole in your piping bag for the raspberry drizzle. A little goes a long way for that dripping effect!
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Black Halloween Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Butter Cream
- 1 cup butter (2 Sticks) room temperature
- 2 and ¼ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup black cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
Black Cupcake
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons black cocoa powder *see notes
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder- I really think this is crucial for bringing out the chocolate flavor
- ½ cup natural oil, vegetable or canola
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teapoons vanilla extract
Raspberry Puree (Blood Filling and Drizzle)
- 2 cups frozen raspberries
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- To achieve a very dark jet black frosting it is best to make the frosting a day or more in advance and store in the refrigerator. Bring back to room temperature and rewhip before frosting cupcakes.
- Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and with a paddle attachment beat the butter at medium high speed until smooth.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
- Add the vanilla extract and add small amounts of milk until you reach the desired consistency.
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350℉. This recipe makes 14 cupcakes. So you will need to bake the second tray separately. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups, then line two additional muffin cups and fill with the remaining batter.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
- In a separate bowl mix together oil, eggs, milk, yogurt and vanilla extract. Once combined pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a spatula to combine.
- Divide the evenly batter into the 14 cupcake liners. Do not try to add all to the 12 because it will over fill when they rise and not create the pretty domed appearance!! To fill I used a #20 cookie scoop *about 3 tablespoons) which divided the batter out perfectly. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. When finished remove the cupcakes from the oven to cool for 10 minutes. Then remove them carefully to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Raspberry Filling
- While the cupcakes are cooling prepare the raspberry filling.
- Add the raspberries to a small saucepan with ¼ cup of sugar. Stir until the raspberries begin to release their juices and break down. Use a spatula or back of a spoon to break the raspberries up.
- Stir the cornstarch into cold water. Add the slurry into the raspberries and stir until the mixture begins to thicken up. Once the raspberry filling has thickened remove from heat and strain the seeds out using a mesh sieve. Set aside to cool.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- When the cupcakes are cool, use a pairing knife or cupcake corer to remove the center of cupcake.
- When the filling has cooled, spoon the raspberry filling into the cavity of the cupcake. Place a little removed cupcake back on top. There will be a little raspberry filling left to drizzle on the frosting.
- Place the frosting in a piping bag and frost the cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1m for making my design. If you want a very tall frosted cupcake you may need to double the frosting recipe.
- Add the remaining raspberry filling to another piping bag or Ziplock bag. Cut a very small hole in the corner and carefully drip the raspberry filling onto the frosted cupcakes.
- Store in airtight container for 2 days at room temperature or for 4-5 in the refrigerator. Bring back to room temperature for serving.
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