Description

These moist, rich chocolate Halloween cupcakes are filled with chocolate chips, topped with swirled orange-and-white vanilla buttercream, and finished with edible witch hats made from Oreos and mini sugar cones. These fun witch hat cupcakes are perfect for Halloween parties, classroom celebrations, bake sales, and spooky family baking.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cupcakes:

2 cups all purpose flour
1⁄2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. espresso powder
1 1⁄2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. sea salt
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2⁄3 cup buttermilk
1⁄2 cup liquid coconut oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄2 cup chocolate chips

For the Witch Hats:

12 Mini Sugar Cones (I ordered them from Amazon)
12 Oreos (separated and you’ll just be using the side with the cream filling)
About 8 Squares of Chocolate Almond Bark
Starburst Candy (just the orange ones)

For the Buttercream frosting:

1 cup Softened Butter
2 1⁄2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1-2 teaspoons Milk (any kind will work)

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Instructions

To make the Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.
In a medium size bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand up mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, coconut oil, and vanilla Mix until smooth but just till combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture into the liquid mixture. Mix to combine but do not overmix. Add the chocolate chips and mix in. The batter will be thick!
Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. (Halloween theme is perfect)
Use a medium cookie scoop and fill the liners about 2⁄3 full. (Do not over fill)
Bake on the middle rack for about 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes before removing from the pan and transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Frost the cupcakes, using the swirled frosting ( see below).
Top each cupcake with a witch's hat. (See how to assemble below)

To make the Witch's Hats:

With the Oreo cream filling side facing up, firmly place a mini sugar cone on top so it sticks together. Repeat with all 12
Place these on top of a cooling rack that is sitting on top of a bowl. (This will make more sense with the photos) I use a small one and only cover two at a time.
Place about 3 squares of the chocolate almond bark in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at intervals of 40 seconds until it is melted. Stir until it is smooth.
Pour the melted chocolate over the sugar cone, covering it and allowing the excess chocolate to drip into the bowl below. (You can re-melt this for later.)
I use the back of a spoon to run up the sides of the cone, making sure everything gets coated. Repeat this for all 12.
To get the brim of the hat, I pour about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate onto a parchment lined dish. (The chocolate needs to exceed the size of the cone by a little) and place the chocolate coated cone in the center. Gently press the cone into the chocolate and allow it to set for a few minutes.
In a small, microwave safe bowl, microwave about 4 or 5 orange starbursts at 20 second intervals. You want it to be soft and pliable, not cooked! (Do not cook any longer).
Carefully pinch all of the heated starbursts together to form a pliable texture. Using a small rolling pin, roll it out onto a flat surface to about 6” or whatever length will fit around your chocolate coated cone. I use a small cutting board. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut strips about 1⁄4” wide. Repeat this method until you have 12 strips.
Attach the orange strip around the bottom portion of the hat, securing the end by carefully pinching it together.
Using a small food grade artist's brush, paint a little buckle with melted chocolate in the front of the orange band around the hat.

To make the Buttercream Frosting:

In a medium size bowl, place the softened butter and whip until light and fluffy with a hand mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating. Add the vanilla and a little milk at a time until desired consistency. (You want stiff peaks for piping)
Remove half of the frosting and place in a separate bowl. Add desired food color (I’m using orange)
Mix by hand with a spoon until the food color is fully incorporated.
Lay a piece of plastic wrap (about 18”), flat on the counter.
Add the two frostings, next to each other in a log shape.
Roll up with the plastic wrap so the two colored frostings are snug next to each other and snip one end with scissors.
Attach the star tip to a pastry bag and insert the bag of frosting, cut side down.
Test out the frosting on a piece of parchment paper to make sure that both colors come out together to give you a swirl effect.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Desserts
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American