Description
Celebrate Halloween with these Stamped Halloween Cupcakes featuring rich chocolate cake topped with creamy buttercream frosting and spooky stamped designs. Perfect for parties, these fun cupcakes are decorated with Halloween-themed stamps and colorful gel food coloring for a festive touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients listed on the box: typically eggs, oil, and water)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Black gel food coloring
- Orange gel food coloring
Decoration
- Halloween-themed cookie stamps or stencils
- Cocoa powder or black edible dust
- Optional sprinkles or candy eyes for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with Halloween-themed paper liners for a festive touch and easy cleanup.
- Prepare Cake Batter: In a large bowl, prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package instructions. Enhance the batter by adding 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for extra moisture and flavor. Mix until smooth.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full to allow room for rising while baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cupcake—if it comes out clean, they are ready.
- Cool: Remove cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting to ensure the buttercream does not melt.
- Prepare Buttercream Frosting: Beat 1 cup of softened unsalted butter until creamy. Gradually add 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, mixing well. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream to reach your desired consistency.
- Color Frosting: Divide the frosting into portions and tint with orange and black gel food coloring as needed for decorating.
- Frost Cupcakes: Pipe or spread the colored frosting evenly onto the cooled cupcakes, creating a smooth surface for stamping.
- Stamp Designs: Lightly dust Halloween-themed cookie stamps or stencils with cocoa powder or edible black dust. Gently press the stamps onto the frosted cupcakes to create spooky stamped patterns like bats, skulls, pumpkins, or spiderwebs.
- Decorate: Optionally, add sprinkles or candy eyes for extra festive flair.
Notes
- Chilling the frosted cupcakes for 10 minutes before stamping helps the powdered design stay sharp and prevents smudging.
- Use a variety of stamped designs such as bats, skulls, pumpkins, and spiderwebs to create a visually interesting assortment.
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to avoid melting the buttercream.
- If cocoa powder is not available, black edible dust or black food coloring dust can be used for stamping.
