These Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes with Caramel Filling are a cute dessert idea to celebrate All Hallows Eve! This is an easy small batch recipe for tender chocolate cupcakes filled with homemade caramel sauce, and topped with a fluffy marshmallow meringue ghost. Dress up the cupcakes with your favorite ghostly topper or sprinkles for a delightfully bewitching dessert!
Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes with Caramel Filling
The idea for these Halloween cupcakes came from my popular black forest cupcakes recipe. Chocolate seems like a quintessential flavor for Halloween and when you pair it with a spooky caramel filling and a delightful marshmallow ghost, you have a cupcake that will compete with even the best Halloween candy!
And if this sweet fright has you inspired to make more Halloween desserts, check out my gingerbread skeleton cookies, candy corn pudding parfaits, and the creamy milky way pudding recipe!
Why You’ll Love These Halloween Cupcakes
- Super moist – Oil, buttermilk, and coffee keep these chocolate cupcakes moist.
- Egg-free cupcakes – Much like my chocolate wacky cake, we don’t need eggs for these cupcakes – thanks to the oil and buttermilk to keep them moist and tender.
- Easy caramel filling – The maple syrup caramel is delicious, but you can also try my candy corn caramel sauce for a Halloween-inspired twist!
- Fluffy marshmallow meringue frosting – The pillowy soft homemade marshmallow frosting is easily piped on to look like the sweetest ghosts!
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour – Try my chocolate gluten free cupcakes for a gluten free version.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I recommend Dutch Process cocoa powder because it has a rich cocoa flavor and is less acidic.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – We use both to make the cupcakes rise and balance out the acidity in the buttermilk.
- Salt – A little salt will balance and enhance the flavors.
- Neutral Oil – I prefer canola or melted coconut oil in the chocolate cupcakes because they do not impart any flavor.
- Granulated Sugar – I like to use organic cane sugar because of its rich flavor and it is less processed. But granulated white sugar works great.
- Brown Sugar – Light or brown sugar will work, and I use whatever I have on hand!
- Buttermilk – The buttermilk tenderizes the cupcakes (actually the flour), and makes the cupcakes moist.
- Brewed Coffee – Coffee compliments and amps up the cocoa flavor, in addition to keeping the chocolate cupcakes moist.
- Vanilla Extract – For flavor in the cupcakes and frosting.
- Egg White – For the marshmallow meringue on top of the chocolate Halloween cupcakes.
- Light Corn Syrup – Corn syrup makes the marshmallow frosting glossy.
- Cream of Tartar – Cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg white so they whip up nice and fluffy.
Helpful Tips
- Dutch process cocoa powder is my go-to – I use Dutch process cocoa in my chocolate cakes, cupcakes, and cookies because it is smooth with a rich chocolate flavor.
- Hot coffee – The coffee needs to be hot. This helps ‘bloom’ the cocoa powder. I heat mine in the microwave until it boils.
- Make your own buttermilk – If you don’t want to buy buttermilk to only use it once, you can make your own: add 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup with milk to the 1/3 cup mark. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to allow the milk to ‘curdle’. I recommend whole or 2% milk.
- Separate the egg when it is cold to make the meringue – The yolk and white separate much easier and ‘cleaner’ when the egg is cold.
- Easy on the food coloring for the caramel filling – A little goes a long way. Start with one drop of food coloring and add more if you want a super intense color. Too much, and it will just turn dark.
Recipe FAQ
I don’t have Dutch process cocoa. Can I substitute natural cocoa powder instead?
Using natural cocoa powder should be fine for these chocolate Halloween cupcakes. There is baking soda in the recipe which balances the acidity of the natural cocoa powder.
Can I use hot water instead of brewed coffee?
Yes, hot water will work fine. Keep in mind the flavor of the coffee is what compliments the cocoa and makes it more chocolate pronounced.
How should I store leftover cupcakes?
Frosted cupcakes will keep fine when covered at room temperature for a day. Beyond that, the marshmallow frosting may start to deflate and I would keep the cupcakes covered in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes with Caramel Filling
These Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes with Caramel Filling are a cute dessert idea to celebrate All Hallows Eve! This is an easy small batch recipe for tender chocolate cupcakes filled with caramel sauce, and topped with a fluffy marshmallow meringue ghost. Dress up the cupcakes with your favorite ghostly topper or sprinkles for a delightfully bewitching dessert!
INGREDIENTS
Caramel Filling
- 3 ½ tablespoons caramel sauce
- red gel food coloring
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons medium brew coffee, very hot (or hot water)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ salt
Marshmallow Meringue Frosting
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water, room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Caramel Filling
- Use store bought caramel, or make your own using my Maple Syrup Caramel Sauce recipe. I use about 2 teaspoons of caramel filling per cupcake. You can use more or less based on your preference.
- Add the caramel to a small bowl. Start with one drop of red food coloring, stir, and add another drop if you want a deeper shade of red.3 ½ tablespoons caramel sauce, red gel food coloring
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line 5 wells of a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the oil and both sugars. Whisk until until well combined. Add the buttermilk, coffee, and vanilla, and whisk until fully incorporated.1 ½ tablespoons canola oil, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature, 2 tablespoons medium brew coffee, very hot, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the wet ingredients. Gently mix until no dry streaks remain.1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, 1/8 salt
- Pour the batter equally into the cupcake liners. Tip – I recommend a cookie scoop to get equal portions of batter – and less mess!
- Bake for 12 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the cupcakes comes out mostly clean.
- Cool the cupcakes in the pan set on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on the wire rack.
- Scoop out a small amount of cupcake from the middle to make the well for the caramel sauce. You can use a small paring knife, apple corer, or even the wide end of a piping tip. The size of the well is completely your preference and how much caramel you want in the middle of the cupcake.
Marshmallow Frosting
- Make the frosting while the cupcakes are cooling. This is the same recipe as the Glossy Marshmallow Meringue Frosting.
- Create a Double Boiler – Simmer about 2-inches of water in a saucepan. In a heat-proof mixing bowl large enough to fit on top of the saucepan – without touching the water – add the egg white, water, corn syrup, granulated sugar, and cream of tartar. Set the bowl on top of the saucepan. Note – Make certain the bowl and beaters are clean. I recommend wiping down the bowl and beaters with a paper towel and a splash of vinegar or lemon juice.1 large egg white, room temperature, 1 tablespoon water, room temperature, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon light corn syrup, 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Using one of the whisk attachments as your whisk, constantly whisk the mixture until foamy and white. We want the sugar to dissolve and the temperature of the mixture to reach 160F degrees. This may take up to 4 minutes. If you don't have a thermometer, you can test if the sugar has dissolved by carefully rubbing a little of the egg white between your thumb and index finger – if done, you will not feel sugar granules.
- Remove the bowl from the heat, and add the vanilla extract. Using a hand held mixer with whisk attachments, beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form, and the frosting is pillowy and glossy. This may take about 2 and 1/2 minutes. The frosting is ready to be used immediately.1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Assemble the Cupcakes – Fill the well in the cupcake with your desired amount of caramel, and either pipe or spoon the marshmallow frosting on top of the cupcakes. Enjoy!
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RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This recipe has been tested and is intended to be a small batch.
- Oil – Melted refined coconut oil would be a great substitute for the canola oil because it has a neutral flavor.
- Cocoa Powder – I recommend Dutch process cocoa for its deep, rich flavor, and it is less acidic.
- Hot Coffee – Hot coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate. You can substitute hot water if you prefer.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk makes the cupcakes moist and tender. You can make your own by adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and fill the cup with milk to the 1/3 mark, and let the mix sit for 10 minutes. I recommend whole or 2% milk.
- Storing – Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a day – beyond that I recommend refrigerating because of the frosting.
- Freezing – Baked, unfrosted cupcakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!