Description
Adorable Black Cat Cupcakes with rich chocolate flavor and easy decorations—candy eyes, cookie “ears,” and licorice whiskers. Perfect for Halloween food cupcakes, school parties, and kid-friendly baking nights.
Ingredients
- For the Cupcakes:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- For the Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 – 4 tbsp milk or cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- For Decorating:
- Black cupcake liners
- Candy eyes
- Mini chocolate cookies or chocolate wafers (ears)
- Black licorice strings or black sprinkles (whiskers)
- Orange/purple sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat & prep: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin pan with black liners.
- Make batter: Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. In another bowl whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix dry into wet, alternating with buttermilk, just until combined.
- Bake: Divide batter among liners. Bake 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack.
- Frosting: Beat softened butter with cocoa. Add powdered sugar in batches, adding milk as needed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and a pinch of salt.
- Frost: Pipe or spread a generous swirl of chocolate frosting on each cupcake.
- Decorate: Add candy eyes, cookie triangles for ears, licorice/sprinkle whiskers, and a small candy nose. Add festive sprinkles if desired.
Notes
- Pro tips: Chill frosting briefly for cleaner swirls; decorate only when cupcakes are fully cool; pre-cut ears/whiskers to streamline decorating; gel color deepens black frosting.
- Variations: Red velvet base with black cream-cheese frosting; vanilla cupcakes for contrast; peanut-butter center; add edible glitter for “spooky sparkle.”
- Storage: Airtight at room temp up to 2 days. If using cream-cheese frosting, refrigerate and bring to room temp before serving. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes and decorate later.
- Avoid: Decorating warm cupcakes (melts frosting); overmixing batter (dense texture); using soft cookies for ears (they droop).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
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