Small Batch Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes

4.75 from 4 reviews

Small Batch Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes

Soft and rich small batch chocolate Halloween cupcakes with caramel filling and homemade marshmallow ghosts. An easy egg-free cupcake perfect for spooky season baking.

Prep Time15

Cook Time18

Total Time33

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cupcakes

Calories: 286kcal

Author: Erin Cernich

Equipment

Ingredients

Caramel Filling

3 ½ tablespoons Maple Syrup Caramel Sauce or store-bought
red food coloring

Chocolate Cupcakes

⅔ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process
½ cup organic cane sugar or granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature cut into cubes for easy mixing
¼ cup milk, room temperature see Notes
1 tablespoon full fat sour cream, room temperature
2 tablespoons canola oil or any neutral oil
3 tablespoons medium brew coffee, very hot or hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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. Note - Making the homemade caramel sauce is not included in the prep time of the recipe.
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 Maple Syrup Caramel Sauce, red food coloring

Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a muffin pan with 6 cupcake liners.
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. If the cocoa powder is lumpy, sift it through a fine mesh strainer set over the bowl. Give the dry ingredients a quick mix to combine. See the Notes below to use a stand mixer or hand mixer.
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process, 1/2 cup organic cane sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add the butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-high speed until the butter is broken up and the mix resembles coarse sand. This reverse-creaming method yields light and fluffy cupcakes.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
In a liquid measuring cup, measure the milk, then add the oil, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix to combine.
1/4 cup milk, room temperature, 1 tablespoon full fat sour cream, room temperature, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Turn the mixer on low speed. Slowly drizzle the wet ingredients, along with the hot coffee/water, into the dry until incorporated and no dry streaks remain. It is ok if the batter is a little lumpy.
3 tablespoons medium brew coffee, very hot
Pour equal amounts of batter into the prepared cupcake liners. Tip – Use a small cookie scoop to help with portioning and less mess! Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until they are springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
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.

Notes

Serving Size - This is a small batch recipe that can easily be doubled.
Stand Mixer vs Hand Mixer - Since this is a small batch batter, I recommend a smaller mixing bowl to mix the batter evenly. To use your tilt-head stand mixer with standard attachments, I link the mixing bowl above. Otherwise, a hand mixer and medium mixing bowl will work fine.
Milk - 2% or whole milk works best to achieve optimal results (soft and fluffy texture). However, any milk type will work.
Cocoa Powder - I prefer Dutch process cocoa because it is less acidic and has a stronger flavor. To swap natural cocoa, you will need to add baking soda. Use 1/3 teaspoon baking powder + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda.
Storing - Unfrosted cupcakes can be covered and stored 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 in the refrigerator then bring to room temp to frost and serve.

Nutrition