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Ready to wow your friends, family, and Halloween party guests? These adorable spider web cupcakes are not only delicious and perfectly moist, but these adorable Halloween treats are so easy to make when you follow my easy step-by-step instructions.
Easy Spider Web Cupcakes are the perfect Halloween dessert!
These fun spider web cupcakes start with my all time favorite cupcake recipe for rich, moist chocolate cupcakes. Then we make my easy homemade frosting and use that for the base frosting and the spider web design. A mini oreo and some candy eyes finish off the cute little spiders on top of the web.
Possibly the best thing about these cupcakes it how easy they are to make!
You don’t need baking experience because I walk you through the easy steps below to make chocolate spider web cupcakes with no stress. Plus, they are fully edible since we skip plastic spider toppings and use mini oreos with candy eyes instead.
Especially during busy holidays, easy recipes are the best! We still want to impress our friends and family though, and making these spider web Halloween cupcakes is an easy way to do just that. These cupcakes are so much fun and perfect for parties, bake sales or just to get your family into the Halloween festivities!
Why You’ll Love These Spider Web Cupcakes
- Perfect treat for Halloween parties
- Kids and adults love the fun spider decor
- Rich, moist chocolate cupcake
- Easy recipe
- Adorable design without the need for plastic spiders
What You’ll Need for Spiderweb Cupcakes
This is one of my favorite Halloween recipes! Your family and friends will love the cute little oreo spiders on top of the frosting spider webs. Keep reading for the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- All purpose flour
- Cocoa powder: natural unsweetened or dutch processed cocoa powder
- Instant coffee granules: such as Folger’s (optional)
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter: be sure to leave time to let butter reach room temperature!
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Hot tap water
Frosting
- Unsalted butter: be sure to leave time to let butter reach room temperature!
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Milk or heavy cream: if frosting becomes too thick
Extras
How to Make these Halloween Spider Web Cupcakes
Making this delicious chocolatey cupcake recipe with a perfect spider web design is easier than you make think! Follow the easy steps below to seriously wow your friends and family! Keep reading for the full recipe with ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line cupcake tin/muffin tin with cupcake liners/muffin pan cups.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl combine the all purpose flour, unsweetened natural cocoa powder, instant coffee granules, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add in the large eggs, beat again for 30 seconds.
- Combine all ingredients. Add in half of the buttermilk, beat for about 20 seconds. Add in half of the flour mixture, beat. Add the remaining buttermilk plus the hot water, beat just until the liquid is mixed in then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined.
- Bake cupcakes. Fill the muffin liners 1/2 full. Bake for 17-19 minutes at 350º F or until a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick when inserted into the center. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely (I like to cool them on a wire rack) before adding the frosting.
Frosting
- Mix butter and vanilla. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and vanilla extract, beat using an electric mixer until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add sugar. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined.
- Add food coloring. If you want to add food coloring, do so now.
- Taste and adjust as needed. Taste as needed to determine if you want more powdered sugar. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a dash of milk or heavy cream.
- Optional: If you want an extra fluffy frosting, add in 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream when adding the last bit of powdered sugar. Whip for 3-4 minutes.
Assemble
- Make black frosting. Remove 1 cup of frosting and dye that black.
- Frost cupcakes. Spread a generous amount of white frosting onto each cupcake.
- Prep black frosting bag. Transfer the black frosting to a piping bag fit with a Wilton 4 piping tip.
- Pipe web. Start by adding the spider web. Pipe a black straight line horizontally across the cupcake. Then add two diagonal lines, creating an X. Connect the lines with slightly curved lines, adding 2 per section, to make the web.
- Finish decoration. Add a mini oreo to the spider web. Use a small amount of frosting to attach the candy eyeballs. Then pipe 4 legs onto each side of the oreo, for a total of 8 spider legs. Repeat with the remaining individual cupcakes.
Tips for the Best Spider Web Cupcakes
Follow these quick tips to make the best chocolate spider cupcakes:
- How to know when the cupcakes are done: The best way to tell when the chocolate cupcakes are done is to insert a toothpick into the center. When you pull it out, just a few moist crumbs should remain on the toothpick. If there are no crumbs, they are likely a bit over-baked.
- Adjust if the frosting is too thick: If the amount of powdered sugar makes the frosting too thick, you can add an additional tablespoon of heavy cream. Likewise, if it’s not thick enough, you can add in some more powdered sugar.
Substitutions & Variations
- Different flavors: These spider cupcakes would also work well with Vanilla Cupcakes or Peanut Butter Cupcakes.
Storing & Freezing Suggestions
Due to the frosting and decorations, these cupcakes are best enjoyed the day they are made. However, if necessary, they can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
If you want to make them in advance, I recommend baking the cupcakes a day or two ahead and just adding the frosting and spider decor soon before serving.
Want to make an assortment of easy Halloween Cupcakes?
Check out all of these fun Halloween cupcake recipes!
- Frankenstein Cupcakes
- Mummy Cupcakes
- Witch Hat Cupcakes
- Eyeball Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
- Ghost Cupcakes
- Spider Cupcakes
More Spider Recipes
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Spider Web Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 2 cups all purpose flour, 240 grams
- ¾ cup cocoa powder, natural unsweetened or dutch processed cocoa powder, 63 grams
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules such as Folger’s, optional
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, 1/2 cup
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup hot tap water
Frosting
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- dash milk or heavy cream if frosting becomes too thick
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
- In a mixing bowl combine the all purpose flour, unsweetened natural cocoa powder, instant coffee granules, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add in the eggs, beat again for 30 seconds.
- Add in half of the buttermilk, beat for about 20 seconds. Add in half of the dry ingredients, beat. Add the remaining buttermilk plus the hot water, beat just until the liquid is mixed in then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined.
- Fill the muffin liners 1/2 full. Bake for 17-19 minutes at 350º F or until a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick when inserted into the center. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Frosting
- In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and vanilla extract, beat using an electric mixer until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined.
- If you want to add food coloring, do so now.
- Taste as needed to determine if you want more powdered sugar. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a dash of milk or heavy cream.
- If you want an extra fluffy frosting, add in 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream when adding the last bit of powdered sugar. Whip for 3-4 minutes.
Assemble
- Remove 1 cup of frosting and dye that black.
- Spread a generous amount of white frosting onto each cupcake.
- Transfer the black frosting to a piping bag fit with a Wilton 4 piping tip.
- Start by adding the spider web. Pipe a black line horizontally across the cupcake. Then add two diagonal lines, creating an X. Connect the lines with slightly curved lines, adding 2 per section, to make the web.
- Add a mini oreo to the spider web. Use a small amount of frosting to attach the candy eyeballs. Then pipe 4 legs onto each side of the oreo, for a total of 8 spider legs. Repeating with the remaining cupcakes.
