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Black Velvet Spider Web Cupcakes: Easy Halloween Treat

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These Black Velvet Spider Web Cupcakes feature a deep black, tender crumb cake topped with silky vanilla buttercream and a stunning spider web design that’s surprisingly easy to create. Perfect for Halloween parties, they’re a show-stopping treat that tastes as good as it looks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon black gel food coloring
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup black gel icing or black royal icing
  • Optional: 12-16 small plastic spiders

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. In a separate small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract, and black gel food coloring.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Add white vinegar and stir once more. Batter will bubble slightly.
  5. Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out 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 stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat softened butter on medium speed for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low after each addition. Add vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and airy. Add more cream if too thick, more sugar if too thin.
  7. Fit a piping bag with a large round tip and fill with buttercream. Pipe a generous swirl on each cooled cupcake, starting from the outside and working inward.
  8. For the spider web: Using black gel icing with a small round tip, pipe a small dot in the center of each frosted cupcake. Pipe 4-5 concentric circles around it, spaced about ½ inch apart. Working quickly, use a toothpick to drag from the center dot outward through all circles. Repeat 6-8 drags evenly around each cupcake.
  9. If using plastic spiders, place one on each cupcake while icing is still tacky. Serve immediately or store.

Notes

Gel food coloring is essential for deep black color; liquid coloring will result in gray. Work on one cupcake at a time for the spider web design to prevent icing from setting. Cupcakes can be baked 2 days ahead and stored airtight at room temperature; frost and decorate day of serving. For best texture, let refrigerated cupcakes sit at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cupcakes, black velvet, spider web, easy Halloween treat, black velvet cake, buttercream frosting

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