Description
Moist chocolate cupcakes filled with oozy raspberry “blood” and topped with inky black buttercream. Perfectly spooky for Halloween dessert trays and vampire-themed parties.
Ingredients
All-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups
Granulated sugar 1 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup
Baking powder 1 tsp
Baking soda 1 tsp
Fine salt 1/2 tsp
Large eggs 2
Vegetable oil 1/2 cup
Buttermilk 1 cup
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Seedless raspberry jam 1 cup
Cornstarch 1 tbsp + water 2 tbsp (optional, thicker filling)
Red gel food coloring, a few drops
Unsalted butter, softened 1 cup
Powdered sugar 4 cups
Milk or cream 2–3 tbsp
Vanilla extract 1 tsp (for frosting)
Black gel food coloring (or dark cocoa)
Candy vampire fangs or eyeballs (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Pour wet into dry and mix just until combined; do not overmix.
5. Divide batter among liners (about 2/3 full). Bake 18–22 min; cool completely.
6. Filling: Warm jam in a small pan; stir in cornstarch slurry if using and simmer to thicken. Tint with red gel; cool.
7. Frosting: Beat butter fluffy; gradually beat in powdered sugar. Add milk and vanilla to reach creamy piping consistency. Tint black.
8. Core a small well in each cupcake. Fill each with 1–2 tsp red jam.
9. Pipe swirls of black buttercream. Drizzle extra “blood” over tops.
10. Finish with candy fangs or eyeballs. Chill 10 min to set; serve at room temp.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes