Black Cat Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

overhead image of black cat cupcake with seven more cupcakes around, two forks, and white flowers beside.

Black Cat Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

Spooky, adorable, and SO DELICIOUS! These Black Cat Cupcakes are the perfect treat to bake this Halloween. Tender and moist chocolate cupcakes, hinted with espresso, and generously frosted with the silkiest chocolate frosting.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 2 5

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 2 35

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 462kcal

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1¾ cups all purpose flour
1⅛ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup black cocoa powder sifted
1½ Tablespoons espresso powder
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1¼ cups whole milk
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting

1⅛ cups salted butter room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar sifted
1½ cup black cocoa powder sifted
¾ cup whole milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Assembly

38 jumbo candy eyes
green food safe marker if desired
19 large marshmallows
black decorating sugar
black twizzlers

Instructions

Cupcakes

Heat oven to 350℉/177℃.
Line cupcake tins with paper liners, or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients.
Stir until combined.
Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to portion batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cupcakes test done.

Frosting

With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and cocoa until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
Add milk and vanilla.
Beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

Assembly

Color eyes with green food safe marker, if desired. Set aside.
Cut marshmallows in half diagonally.
Trim to size desired.
Dip cut edges in black sugar. Set aside.
Cut twizzler into relatively thin 1½-inch strips. (You need 114 strips.) Set aside.
Fit piping bag, or large zip top bag, with closed star tip (#30).
Spoon frosting into piping bag.
Pipe stars onto top of cupcake to cover entire top.
Place ears first, then eyes, then whiskers.

Notes

Substitutions:

This recipe can be made vegan by using a plant-based milk and your favorite vegan egg substitute. For the frosting, use your favorite vegan butter and plant-based milk.
To make this recipe gluten-free, You can use your favorite 1:1 gluten free all-purpose flour.

Expert Tips:

Don’t skip sifting the black cocoa powder!
Be careful not to over mix the batter.
We recommend using a large cookie scoop (3 Tablespoons) to ensure that each cupcake is equal in size and not overfilled or under-filled.
If you’re unsure if the cupcakes are baked, you can use a cake tester or a toothpick to test the cakes. If it comes out clean, the cake is fully baked!
Let the cupcakes cool COMPLETELY before decorating.
To help the marshmallow ears stay, insert a toothpick into the marshmallow and push it into the cupcake.

Nutrition