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Decadent Black Velvet Witch Hat Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

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These rich and moist black velvet cupcakes are topped with a fluffy salted caramel buttercream and decorated to look like whimsical witch hats, perfect for Halloween treats.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/3 cups (160g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/4 cup (25g) Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk (or milk + 1 tsp lemon juice)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
  • Black gel or paste food coloring, as needed
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) salted caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling
  • Chocolate wafer cookies or sugar cones, trimmed (for witch hats)
  • Black licorice twists or edible glitter (optional, for decoration)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract and espresso powder until combined.
  5. Alternately add half the buttermilk and half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently. Repeat with remaining buttermilk and dry ingredients, folding with a spatula. Do not overmix.
  6. Add black gel food coloring gradually until batter is a deep, even black.
  7. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full with batter. Bake 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
  8. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. For the buttercream, beat softened butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed to avoid sugar clouds.
  10. Mix in salted caramel sauce and vanilla extract, then beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until fluffy. Chill if too soft to pipe.
  11. Pipe buttercream swirls onto cooled cupcakes. Top each with a trimmed chocolate wafer cookie or sugar cone to resemble a witch’s hat.
  12. Optionally, wrap a black licorice twist around the base of the hat or sprinkle edible glitter for extra flair.

Notes

[‘Use gel or paste food coloring to avoid thinning the batter.’, ‘Espresso powder deepens chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee.’, ‘Measure flour carefully by spooning and leveling to avoid dry cupcakes.’, ‘Cream butter and sugar well to trap air for fluffier cupcakes.’, ‘Chill buttercream if too soft to pipe.’, ‘Trim witch hats carefully with sharp scissors for clean edges.’, ‘Cupcakes can be baked 2 days ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container; frost before serving.’, ‘Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.’, ‘Freeze unfrosted cupcakes wrapped tightly for up to 3 months.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: black velvet cupcakes, salted caramel buttercream, Halloween cupcakes, witch hat cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, spooky treats, easy cupcakes

Find it online: https://ariaappetite.com/decadent-black-velvet-witch-hat-cupcakes-recipe-with-salted-caramel-buttercream-tutorial/