Ghost Cupcakes

These festive cupcakes are made with a moist black velvet cupcake base and topped with a whipped cream white chocolate frosting! To make the eyes and mouth of the ghost simply use mini chocolate chips and regular chocolate chips. This recipe is easy but so festive, and most importantly, DELICIOUS!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 17

Total Time 32

Servings cupcakes

Calories 415kcal

Author Whitney Wright

Ingredients

Black Cocoa Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup black cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream I used full fat sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
black gel food coloring optional

Whipped Cream Frosting with Pudding

2 1/2 cups heavy cream cold, plus more if needed (see directions)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3.4 oz white chocolate INSTANT pudding just the dry mix!
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Assembly

mini chocolate chips
regular sized chocolate chips

Instructions

Black Cocoa Cupcakes

Make the Black Cocoa Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cavity (regular sized) muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the cake flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate medium sized bowl, or a large liquid measuring cup, whisk the vegetable oil, sour cream, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and black food coloring.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients (using a paddle attachment) and mix on low until ingredients are combined.
Portion the batter into the cupcake liners until ½ full (I use a size 20, 3 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to portion my batter evenly amongst the cupcake compartments). Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on the toothpick from the center of the cupcakes.
Remove from the oven, let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Whipped Cream Frosting with Pudding

Make the Whipped Cream Frosting: In a large bowl add the heavy cream and powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until soft peaks. Gradually add the instant pudding, then beat until thick and creamy. If the frosting looks curdled, that’s fine, to fix it add a tablespoon of milk or heavy cream to the frosting and stir it in using a rubber spatula. Continue adding a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and no longer curdled looking. I ended up adding an additional 3-4 tablespoons of milk to my frosting.

Assembly

Place the whipped cream frosting in a piping bag. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake. Use the flat side of the chocolate chips to make eyes and a mouth.

Video

Notes

Best Cocoa Powder for Baking and my Black Cocoa Powder Guide will be helpful for all your cocoa questions!

How to Store and Freeze Cakes will answer any storing and freezing questions, including with frosting.

Nutrition