These rich and velvety black cocoa cupcakes are the perfect treat for Halloween! The bold flavor of black cocoa powder pairs beautifully with the simple sweet vanilla buttercream frosting. Black cocoa also gives us a beautiful natural black color! Serve as is or make the cute little chocolate witch hats to really drive home the Halloween spirit.
unsweetened vs Dutch-processed vs black cocoa
This cupcake recipe uses black cocoa powder for a more dramatic dark color and a slightly different flavor than your average chocolate cupcake! These cupcakes don't feature any food coloring, so you can really see just how rich the natural color is. On the other hand, Dutch-processed and unsweetened cocoa powders typically leave baked goods with a brownish-red color.
When it comes to flavor, compared to other varieties, black cocoa powder has a bolder and more dramatic taste (black cocoa is used in Oreo cookies, so that can kind of give you an idea of how it tastes!) Dutch-processed cocoa powder tends to taste the most chocolatey out of the three, while unsweetened cocoa has a more complex chocolate flavor.
So with all that in mind, can you use unsweetened or Dutch-processed cocoa powder in place of black cocoa? While the color and flavor would obviously change, it still makes for a delicious cupcake in terms of taste. What's more important to keep in mind when making the swap is the fact that the 3 cocoa powders have different levels of acidity and swapping one for the other can impact the final rise and texture of your recipe.
I haven't personally tested this recipe with Dutch-processed or unsweetened cocoa powder, but I think they would still work thanks to the balance of acidity in the other ingredients. If you're looking for a cupcake recipe that uses unsweetened cocoa powder, this is my absolute favorite!
how to make black cocoa cupcakes
1. Mix together milk and vinegar. This is a DIY buttermilk substitute and the added acidity helps make the cupcakes extra soft and moist!
2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Add in all the wet ingredients (including the DIY buttermilk). Whisk until you have a streak free batter. It will be quite runny!
4. Divide the batter evenly into a cupcake tin. Make sure to fill each cupcake cup no more than about ⅔ of the way full to ensure the cupcakes don't spill out and over as they bake and rise!
5. Bake & cool. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
6. Make the frosting: Cream together butter, sugar and salt until dissolved. Add in remaining frosting ingredients then whip until light and fluffy!
7. Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes. You could stop here and just dig in! But if you want to make the little chocolate witch hat decorations, make sure to reserve a bit of frosting for them as well.
how to make chocolate witch hats
This may be my favorite part about this whole recipe: these ADORABLE edible witch hats! Don't get me wrong, I'm obsessed with the cupcakes, but these hats are just so dang cute. All you need to make them are Oreo cookies (or any cookie with a similar shape and size), some leftover buttercream from the cupcakes and chocolate.
- Prep the cookies: Separate 6 Oreo cookies and scrape off the filling. So you should basically be left with 12 plain chocolate cookies. Arrange the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet smooth side up.
- Pipe the tops of the hats: Fill a piping bag fitted with a plain tip with some frosting. Using a piping tip here really helps give you a smoother looking top. Hold the bag vertically over the center of one of the cookies, apply slight pressure to pipe while slowly moving up then stop applying pressure and lift the bag up and off the cookie. The tip should naturally point up. If you mess up at any point, simply scrape the frosting off and try again!
- Freeze: It's important to let the cookies freeze until the frosting is SOLID otherwise the tops of the hats will misshape as you dip them in chocolate.
- Dip the hats in melted chocolate: I find the easiest way to do this is to drop the hat into a bowl of chocolate then use a spoon to drizzle chocolate on top until it's covered. Pick the hat up with a fork and lightly shake it to allow the excess chocolate to fall off.
- Place the chocolate covered witch hats back on your parchment lined baking sheet: After all the cookies are coated in chocolate, chill the witch hats in the freezer until the chocolate has set and hardened. Once the chocolate is set, use the witch hats to decorate the cupcakes!
tips for making chocolate witch hats
- Freeze until the frosting is solid: I already mentioned this but it's so important! The frosting needs to be fully frozen before dipping in chocolate otherwise the tops of the witch hats will come out looking wonky.
- Use melting chocolate: The best chocolate for melting will be labelled "Baker's" or "couverture" - candy melts also work if you want different colors! Try to steer clear of chocolate chips (unless it's a brand you've melted before successfully). Some bags of chocolate chips are treated with a special coating to help them keep their shape, which can cause the melted chocolate to end up grainy.
- Allow the chocolate to cool slightly: After you melt the chocolate, allow it to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes or until no longer piping hot (but still runny). Super hot chocolate can melt the frosting and ruin the shape of the witch hats.
- One at a time: Keep any witch hats you're not working on in the freezer and just take out one hat at a time when it's time to dip them in the chocolate. This helps ensure everything stays nice and cold!
- Work relatively quickly: Again, this is to ensure the frosting keeps its shape and doesn't come back up to room temperature before you have a chance to dip it in chocolate.
FAQs
Alternatives to vegetable oil for the cupcakes?
Any neutral flavored oil would work well here. A few great options are canola, corn, or peanut oil. Try to avoid oils with strong flavors (like olive oil for example) as it can overpower the flavor of the cupcakes.
Can I add black cocoa to the buttercream?
Yes! Swap out 1 cup of powdered sugar for ½ a cup of black cocoa powder. Make sure to sift the cocoa powder as well - it LOVES to clump!
Can I make these cupcakes gluten free?
Yes! Simply swap out the flour for an equal amount of 1:1 gluten free flour (use a flour blend that includes xanthan gum as an ingredient). I always recommend weighing gluten free flour just because it's denser than all-purpose and can pack in more weight in cups.
Can I make these cupcakes dairy free?
Yes! You can use virtually any dairy free alternative in place of the milk - using an equal amount of whatever you choose. I recommend using soy milk if you can just because it has a mild flavor and won't significantly change the flavor of the cupcakes.
Can I make the frosting dairy free?
Yes! Swap out the butter for vegan butter. I'd recommend using the vegan butter that's sold as sticks as it has the closest consistency to dairy butter.
check out these other recipes!
• Pecan Pie Cupcakes
• Black Velvet Cake
• Black Cocoa Sugar Cookie Bars
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
• Spiced Pumpkin Truffles
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
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Black Cocoa Cupcakes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
Description
These rich and velvety black cocoa cupcakes are the perfect treat for Halloween! The bold flavor of black cocoa powder pairs beautifully with the simple sweet vanilla buttercream frosting. Black cocoa also gives us a beautiful natural black color! Serve as is or make the cute little chocolate witch hats to really drive home the Halloween spirit.
Ingredients
For the black cocoa cupcakes:
- ⅔ cup (160mL) whole milk
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ⅓ cup (30g) black cocoa powder, sifted*
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (80mL) vegetable oil, or any neutral flavored oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the vanilla buttercream:
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (520g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 to 5 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the chocolate witch hats:
- 6 Oreo cookies
- 5 ounces (140g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate**
Instructions
Make the black cocoa cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a 12 count muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a measuring cup, mix together milk and vinegar to combine and set aside. *Don't let this mixture sit for more than about 5 to 10 minutes or it may cause the milk to curdle.
- ⅔ cup (160mL) whole milk, ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- In a large bowl, combine flour, black cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup (30g) black cocoa powder, ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- To the dry ingredients, add the milk / vinegar mixture, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk together until streak free and combined. Take care not to overmix or the cupcakes will end up dense!
- ⅓ cup (80mL) vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Portion the cupcake batter into your prepared cupcake tin, filling each cup no more than about ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake the cupcakes in the center of your preheated 350F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean of any batter. You may notice the skewer stained with a dusty black residue (that's from the cocoa powder) but it should feel dry and clean of wet batter.
- Cool the cupcakes for 5 to 10 minutes in the tin then transfer them to a wire rack and set aside to cool completely to room temperature before decorating.
Make the buttercream frosting:
- In a large bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar, and salt. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together on low speed until the sugar is dissolved.
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, 4 cups (520g) powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add 3 tablespoons of milk and the vanilla. Mix again on low speed to combine.
- 3 to 5 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Once combined, increase the mixer to medium-high and whip for about 1 to 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, gradually mix in more milk until it reaches your desired consistency. If it's too thin, sift in a bit more powdered sugar.
- If you plan on making the little chocolate witch hats, set aside a little over ½ a cup of frosting for them, then pipe or spread the remaining frosting on the cooled cupcakes.
Make the chocolate witch hats:
- If any of the below steps are unclear, see above post for photos or see here for a video!
- Separate Oreo cookies from each other and scrape off the filling. Arrange the cookies smooth side up on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- 6 Oreo cookies
- Fit a piping bag with a plain tip and fill the bag with your reserved frosting. Hold the bag perpendicularly over the center of one of the Oreo cookies. Start piping while slowly lifting the bag up until the frosting is about 1.5 inches tall. Once you're done piping, lift the bag up in a sharp motion to make a little peak - essentially leaving you with a cone shaped frosting top on the Oreo cookie. Repeat with all the Oreo cookies.
- Transfer the frosted cookies to the freezer and chill for about 30 minutes or until the frosting is firm to the touch.
- Add chocolate to a microwave / heat safe bowl or cup and melt in your microwave or over a double broiler.
- 5 ounces (140g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- If melting in the microwave, heat for about 30 seconds then pause to take it out and stir. Continue heating in 10 second bursts, pausing after each burst to stir, until fully melted.
If melting over a double broiler, fill a pot with about 1 inch of water and heat until steaming but not boiling. Place a heat safe bowl over the pot (picking out a bowl that can fit in the pot without the bottom of the bowl touching the surface of the water). Add chocolate and heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth.
- Allow the chocolate to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes or until not longer super hot but still fluid.
- Working with one witch hat at a time (with the remaining hats still in the freezer so they stay cold), drop the hat into the melted chocolate and use a spoon to drizzle chocolate on top to fully cover. Lift the hat up with a fork and gently shake off any excess chocolate. Try to work a little quickly to avoid having the frosting soften and misshape.
- Place the chocolate coated hat back on the parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining hats. If you find the buttercream is melting, it most likely means the chocolate is too hot, so just set it aside for another 5 minutes to cool more before trying again.
- Once all the hats are coated in chocolate, freeze for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the chocolate has set.
- Place the chocolate witch hats on top of each cupcake to decorate!
Notes
* Black cocoa powder is prone to clumping, so I always recommend sifting it before using it in any recipe.
** The best chocolate for melting into a smooth consistency is the type labelled "Baker's" or "couverture" chocolate. They're usually sold in bars and found in the baking section of any grocery store. Try to avoid using chocolate chips (unless of course it's a bag of chips you've melted before in the past successfully). Some chocolate chip brands add a special coating to the outside of the chocolate to help it keep its shape, which can result in a grainy melted chocolate mixture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cupcakes
Enjoy!
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