Easy Halloween Themed Chocolate Chip Cupcakes With Edible Spider

Halloween treats are so good, but not always easy to make. But this cupcake recipe is an easy halloween recipe to make with family and share with friends! A moist and warm chocolaty cupcake, with creamy orange colored buttercream frosting, and a crunchy cute, spooky spider on top. You’ll be the life of the party! Enjoy the spook-tastic cupcake made for the spirit of Halloween!

Chocolate cupcake: Makes 12 to 14 cupcakes

Source:https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/super-moist-chocolatecupcakes/#tasty-recipes-122908

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon espresso powder

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil (melted coconut oil works too)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk*, at room temperature

1/2 cup chocolate chips

*buttermilk can be substituted with warm vinegar mixed with milk.

Orange buttercream frosting: Makes around 15 with a swirl

Source: twosistercrafting.com (Recipe is vanilla, you need orange food coloring)

1 cup butter, slightly softened (salted or unsalted)

2 - 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk (as needed)

3 drops orange food coloring, more or less for desired shade of orange

Edible spider: One per cupcake

Oreos (Any cream flavor is fine) One per cupcake

Pretzel sticks, 8 or 6 per oreo

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Optional:

Chocolate sprinkles

Chocolate sause (you can use melted chocolate used in the edible spiders.)

First, preheat your oven to 350 F or 177 C. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with Halloween themed or colored cupcake liner. You might need another pan, but only line 2, as this recipe makes 14 cupcakes. Set this aside for later.

To make the cupcakes, In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until they are thoroughly combined. Set this aside. In a medium sized bowl, whisk both eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract untill smooth and creamy. Pour half of the wet ingredients, and half of the buttermilk into the dry ingredient bowl you set aside. Gently whisk together for a few seconds, then repeat that step with the other half of the wet ingredients and buttermilk . Add chocolate chips, and whisk untill chocolate chips are evenly spread, or untill batter is thin. Do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the liners. Rember to ONLY FILL HALFWAY!!! (This ensures that your cupcakes don’t overflow and/or sink.) Bake for 18 to 20 min or untill a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. While waiting, continue on to the next step.

To make the frosting: Add the butter and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. Whisk with an electric whisk untill they are fully combined. You want the vanilla to fully meld with the butter. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Pour the sugar in the bowl. On the lowest speed of your electric mixer, whisk the sugar untill incorporated. Scrape the sides, then increase speed and mix untill light and fluffy. Add one teaspoon milk if dry and crumbly. Add the orange extract, then mix untill the color is even. Add more food coloring untill the frosting turns into your desired shade of orange. There should be soft peaks in the frosting.Take the cupcakes out of the pan, then frost the cupcakes using a frosting knife or piping bag. Make sure the cupcakes are cool when you frost them.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave for about 1 minute or untill fully melted.Break a pretzel stick in half. Dip the pretzel sticks in the chocolate, then set aside them on a plate to cool down. Do this for about 72 or 96 sticks, depending on if you want 6 or 8 legs on your spiders. Put the stick in the freezer for about 10min, or untill they freeze and the chocolate is solid.Then, take an oreo, and stick the chocolate covered pretzel sticks in the cream. Repeat untill the oreo has desired amount of legs. Make 12 or 14 spiders, depending on how many cupcakes you have.

If you have sprinkels, sprinkle them across the frosting. After that, carefully place one edible spiders on the side of one cupcake. Repeat untill all spiders are placed. Once you are done, Either place multiple cupcakes on one platter or one cupcake on a small plate. Optional: If you have chocolate sause, drizzle some on the top of the cupcake. Enjoy!