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Hocus Pocus Cupcakes
5 from 12 votes

Hocus Pocus Cupcakes

Hocus Pocus Cupcakes are cocoa-flavored cupcakes baked with a blend of unsweetened cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. They are combined with eggs, milk, and vegetable oil and baked until tender. The cupcakes are decorated with a smooth vanilla buttercream tinted with yellow, orange, and purple food coloring and finished with edible silver glitter for a festive appearance.

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 402 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

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
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two 12-cup cupcake cake pans with paper liners.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, cocoa powder, and espresso powder, if using, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, set it aside.
  4. Whisk in the milk, eggs, and oil into the cooled cocoa mixture. Stir in the flour mixture just until it starts to become smooth.
  5. Fill the cupcake pan about ¾ full.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops spring back when pressed down on.
  7. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
Buttercream
  1. 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.
  2. Turn the speed down to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
  3. Add in the milk one tablespoon at a time. Turn the mixer back up to medium speed and mix for an additional 3 minutes.
  4. Divide the buttercream into three separate bowls.
  5. 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
  1. Place each color of buttercream into a separate piping bag with a large star piping tip.
  2. 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.
  3. Swirl the bag around the cupcake, slowly making your way to the top.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

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%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24 cupcakes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 402

% 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.