Description
Create spooky and delicious Black and White Spider Web Cupcakes perfect for Halloween or any creepy celebration. These cupcakes feature a rich dark chocolate base with a fluffy marshmallow buttercream frosting, topped with handmade marshmallow spider webs and festive black candy decorations.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 dark chocolate cake mix
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 large eggs
- black food coloring (small amount)
- 24 black cupcake liners
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened but not to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 jar marshmallow fluff, 7 oz
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Toppings
- 1 package black candy melts, 12 oz
- 1 package miniature marshmallows, 16 oz
- 1 package black candy pearls
- 24 plastic spider rings
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and place black cupcake liners into muffin cups to prepare for baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a mixer, combine buttermilk, oil, and eggs. Add a small amount of black food coloring and mix until the mixture turns grey.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add dark chocolate cake mix and cocoa powder to the wet ingredients. Mix until fully combined.
- Fill and Bake: Use an ice cream scoop to fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 17 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool.
- Make Frosting: Beat butter with an electric or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar half a cup at a time. Mix in almond extract and marshmallow fluff until smooth.
- Pipe Frosting: Transfer frosting to a 16 oz piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M star tip and pipe evenly over each cupcake.
- Option 1 – Dip in Candy Melts: Melt black candy melts following package directions. Dip each frosted cupcake to cover 1/2 to 2/3 of the buttercream. Let cool completely.
- Create Spider Webs with Candy Melts: Melt 1 cup miniature marshmallows in microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds, do not stir. Using clean hands or gloves, grab about 2 marshmallows and stretch into thin strands. Shape spider webs on cupcakes, allowing each to look unique.
- Add Spiders and Pearls: Cut the rings off of the plastic spider rings with scissors and place spiders on cupcakes. Decorate webs and frosting with black candy pearls representing spider eggs.
- Option 2 – Without Candy Melts: Skip dipping and directly create marshmallow spider webs on frosted cupcakes by stretching marshmallows into strands and arranging on top. Add spiders and candy pearls as described above.
Notes
- The messiness of the marshmallow spider webs adds to the spooky effect and charm.
- Wear gloves or use clean hands when handling melted marshmallows to avoid sticky fingers.
- You can choose either to dip cupcakes in black candy melts or apply the webs directly on frosting based on preference.
- Let cupcakes cool completely after dipping to allow candy melts to set properly.
- Use scissors carefully to remove spider rings before decorating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
