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Black Velvet Halloween Cupcakes: Easy Purple Frosting

black velvet halloween cupcakes - featured image
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These Black Velvet Halloween Cupcakes use black cocoa powder for a deep, natural black color without artificial dyes. Topped with a hauntingly beautiful purple frosting made with blackberry extract, they are moist, rich, and perfect for Halloween parties.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • ¾ cup black cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup hot coffee
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon blackberry extract
  • Violet gel food coloring
  • Pinch of salt
  • Purple and black sprinkles (optional)
  • Edible glitter (optional)
  • Small candy eyeballs (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, black cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until no lumps remain.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk until smooth.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Slowly pour in hot coffee while stirring gently until incorporated. Batter will be thin.
  6. Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
  7. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. For the frosting: Beat softened butter in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low. Add heavy cream, blackberry extract, and salt. Beat on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add a tiny drop of violet gel food coloring and beat until evenly distributed.
  10. Once cupcakes are completely cool, transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a generous swirl onto each cupcake. Add sprinkles or candy eyeballs immediately before frosting sets.

Notes

Do not skip cooling the cupcakes completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt. Room temperature ingredients are important for best texture. Black cocoa powder is essential for true black color; regular cocoa will yield gray cupcakes. The frosting color deepens as it sits, so start with less gel coloring than you think you need.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cupcakes, black velvet cupcakes, purple frosting, black cocoa cupcakes, no food coloring, Halloween dessert, chocolate cupcakes

Find it online: https://zorbmeal.com/black-velvet-halloween-cupcakes-easy-purple-frosting/