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Perfect Black Velvet Halloween Cupcakes Recipe

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Deep, dark black velvet cupcakes with a tender crumb and rich Oreo-like flavor, topped with a bright orange buttercream that tastes like a creamsicle dream. Perfect for Halloween parties, these cupcakes are moist, delicious, and surprisingly easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (25g) black cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1–2 teaspoons black gel food coloring (optional)
  • 1 cup (226g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3–4 tablespoons (45-60ml) heavy cream
  • Zest from 1 medium orange
  • ½ teaspoon orange extract
  • A few drops orange gel food coloring
  • A pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, black cocoa powder, natural cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt for 30 seconds.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk sugar and vegetable oil until combined. Add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and white vinegar; whisk until smooth. If using black gel food coloring, add 1-2 teaspoons and whisk until uniformly dark.
  4. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined (batter will be thin and silky).
  5. Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. For the buttercream: In a large bowl, beat softened butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and creamy. Add sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low. Add orange zest, orange extract, and salt; beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until smooth and pipeable. Add a few drops of orange gel food coloring and mix until desired shade.
  7. Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (e.g., Wilton 1M). Fill with buttercream. Pipe a continuous swirl onto each cooled cupcake, starting at the outer edge and working inward and upward. Decorate as desired.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are key for a tender crumb. Do not overmix the batter. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting. For a deeper black color, use black gel food coloring. The cupcakes taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: black velvet cupcakes, Halloween cupcakes, orange buttercream, black cocoa, Halloween dessert, black velvet cake

Find it online: https://spoonmira.com/perfect-black-velvet-halloween-cupcakes-recipe/