Description
Delight in the spooky fun of Witch’s Cauldron Cupcakes, featuring rich chocolate cupcakes filled with creamy orange pastry cream and decorated with chocolate and green vanilla frostings for a festive Halloween treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup TruMoo chocolate milk
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3 Tbsp butter – melted
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Orange Pastry Cream
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup TruMoo Orange Scream milk
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter – room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter – room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder – sifted
- 1.5-2 Tbsp TruMoo chocolate milk
Vanilla Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter – room temperature
- 4-4 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk or cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- green food coloring
Garnishes
- black licorice laces
- gummy worms
- candy eyes
- candy bones
- green sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line 2 cupcake pans with 18 liners and set aside.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk or sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, chocolate milk, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth.
- Combine batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fill and bake cupcakes: Divide batter evenly among prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched and a cake tester comes out clean. Avoid over-baking.
- Cool cupcakes: Remove cupcakes from oven and let them sit for 3-4 minutes in the pan. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare orange pastry cream: In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook flour and Orange Scream milk together, stirring constantly until a thick paste forms. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin, and cool completely.
- Finish pastry cream: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the cooled flour-milk mixture and beat on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until creamy and smooth.
- Prepare chocolate frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add salt and vanilla extract with the mixer off. Turn mixer to low and gradually add powdered sugar and sifted cocoa powder. Beat for 2 minutes. Then lower speed and add chocolate milk. Increase speed and beat for another 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Prepare vanilla frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add salt, vanilla extract, and green food coloring with mixer off. Turn to low speed and gradually add powdered sugar. Beat 2 minutes, then lower speed and add whole milk or cream. Beat on high for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Assemble cupcakes: Core cupcakes if desired and pipe the orange pastry cream into the centers. Pipe a border of chocolate frosting around the top edges. Fill the centers with the green vanilla frosting. Decorate immediately with black licorice laces, gummy worms, candy eyes, candy bones, and green sprinkles before frosting sets.
Notes
- Use Wilton candy eyes, bone sprinkles, and bubble sprinkles for authentic decoration; available at craft stores like Jo-Ann.
- For a quicker version, substitute the cupcake batter with a boxed chocolate cake mix, replacing water with chocolate milk for added richness.
- The pastry cream filling is optional and can be omitted if preferred.
- The chocolate frosting is also optional; black-dyed vanilla frosting works well for the cauldron edges.
- Store leftover cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- To freeze, cool cupcakes completely before frosting, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or use a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 32 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
