Hocus Pocus Cupcakes
User Reviews
5
Hocus Pocus Cupcakes
Description
This recipe starts with a moist cocoa cupcake batter created by blooming cocoa powder and optional espresso powder in boiling water, which enhances the chocolate flavor. The batter includes flour, sugar, leavening agents, salt, milk, eggs, and vegetable oil to produce a soft, tender crumb with a rich chocolate presence. The cupcakes are baked at 375°F until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed, indicating proper doneness.
Once cooled, the cupcakes are topped with a fluffy vanilla buttercream made by creaming room-temperature butter and gradually combining powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. The buttercream is divided and colored with yellow, orange, and purple food coloring to create a fun Halloween-themed decoration, accented with edible silver glitter for sparkle.
The cupcakes can be enjoyed as a themed treat for seasonal celebrations. Ingredients like espresso powder and vegetable oil contribute to enhanced chocolate depth and moistness. Proper flour measurement and room-temperature ingredients help ensure consistent texture and rise.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup water boiling
- ¾ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional
- 2 cups all-purpose flour properly measured
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk at room temperature
- 2 egg at room temperature, large
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Vanilla buttercream
- 2 cups butter room temperature
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Food Coloring yellow, orange, and purple
- edible glitter silver
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two 12-cup cupcake cake pans with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, cocoa powder, and espresso powder, if using, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, set it aside.
- Whisk in the milk, eggs, and oil into the cooled cocoa mixture. Stir in the flour mixture just until it starts to become smooth.
- Fill the cupcake pan about ¾ full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed down on.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 5 minutes until the butter has become light and fluffy.
- Turn the speed down to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Add in the milk one tablespoon at a time. Turn the mixer back up to medium speed and mix for an additional 3 minutes.
- Divide the buttercream into three separate bowls.
- Add enough food coloring to each bowl to get a vibrant color, so you end up with one bowl of orange, one bowl of yellow, and one bowl of purple.
Assembly
- Place each color of buttercream into a separate piping bag with a large star piping tip.
- On one-third of the cupcakes, pipe a swirl of the yellow buttercream by placing the piping tip in the middle of the cupcake and adding pressure to the bag.
- Swirl the bag around the cupcake, slowly making your way to the top.
- Pipe a swirl of orange buttercream on another third of the cupcakes, then pipe two mini swirls on the sides of the top of the buttercream.
- On the last third of the cupcakes, start by piping out a swirl of purple buttercream but keep piping at an angle while allowing the buttercream to begin to tip over.
- Sprinkle the cupcakes with edible glitter.
Notes
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder for the chocolate base of the cupcakes.
- Espresso powder is optional but deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Properly measure flour by weighing, sifting, or spooning lightly to avoid compacting for best texture.
- Milk at room temperature helps integrate liquids smoothly; any type of milk is suitable including non-dairy.
- Vegetable oil keeps cupcakes moist; neutral oils can substitute.
- Salted butter is recommended; if using unsalted, consider adding ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt for balance.
- Nutrition values are approximate.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 402 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cupcake | |
| Calories | 402kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 65g | 22% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 55mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 154mg | 6% |
| Potassium | 101mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 54g | 108% |
| Vitamin A | 516IU | 10% |
| Calcium | 35mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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