Celebrate the Halloween season with these festive and fun Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes. Perfect delicious fun for all ages!
Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes
It’s the most WONDERFUL time of the year!!!
Do you feel that? You know… THAT!!! THAT thing, that slight shift in the Universe is called ‘Fall’ and with that comes cooler weather, change of seasons and my favorite holiday of all time.. Halloween.
And for you people who live up north and actually get to experience cooler weather and the leaves changing colors, I have one word for you. Jealous!! #93degrees
To me, Fall is the equivalent to the world giving us all a sherpa blanket and a hug. Everyone seems to be a bit nicer, the weather (unless you live in Southwest Florida) is beautiful and let’s not forget the FOOD!! Between tailgating sports events, fall holiday get-togethers, backyard bonfires and Halloween potlucks, delicious food is all around us. Sorry New Diet Plan, you need to get in line behind everything pumpkin coming my way.
Now, as the Queen of Halloween I love all things festive and spooky this time of year so these Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes make me beyond happy. After all, I have an eight foot Pumpkin Monster being built in my kitchen right now and life sized skeletons scattered about in my garage. This is shockingly (not shockingly) normal fare for this house. Every year, Big Scary Mike and I build large yard haunts on for the neighborhood kids and even though it’s a huge undertaking, there’s nothing we love more than seeing those little smiles… or their little shrieks of terror but really, it’s all the same thing.
Right?
This year, Mike wanted to do a witches theme and even though he was overruled, I have to say that it is still dear to my heart. Think about it, what was the first scary character you remember from your childhood? .. chances are it was a witch, either by way of Wizard of Oz or Disney movies or maybe even scary Halloween costumes. The Witch is IT!
So why not take that love for all things hocus pocus and bubbly brew and make the most awesome Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes to treat yourself your little ghouls and goblins with?
These Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes cupcakes are so easy to make and so fun to decorate. I got the idea when I was walking through my favorite craft store and they had gumballs on one side of the aisle and a bubbling witches cauldron on the other. Perfect inspiration for the spooky inclined, if you ask me.
Now, if you can’t find the black cocoa powder this recipe calls for don’t give it a second thought… you can totally make your life easy and fake this recipe out. Simply buy your favorite brand of boxed cake mix and add a touch of black concentrated icing color to it to turn the batter black. You don’t need much, so don’t go crazy but it definitely works in a pinch. I know this because I have done these cupcakes both ways (can we say online back order???) so whatever works best for YOU!
But.. Hey … What’s better than ONE Halloween treat? Why, TWO Halloween treats, of course! Don’t forget to check out my recipe for Monster Mash Halloween Candy Bark and my Halloween Whoopie Cookie Bars.. Cookies PLUS Frosting??? Yes Please!!!!
Now, go…. be Witchy!
Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes
Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes
Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes
Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes
Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes
Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes
Toil and Trouble Halloween Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup Black Noir cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup boiling water
- *Black food coloring or concentrated icing color - optional - only for enhancing the color
- Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup butter , softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbl heavy whipping cream
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Purple food coloring or concentrated icing color
- Large green gumballs (approx 2-3 dozen)
- Wilton large green candy sprinkles (found in most cake decorating sections of craft stores)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two cupcake pans by inserting paper liners
- Add flour, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
- In a separate bowl, combine sugar, eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil and then add to the flour mixture. Mix well.
- Pour the vanilla to the boiling water (3 minutes in a microwave) and add to the mixture. Stir to combine
- Add in a small touch of black coloring if you are looking to enhance the black color and mix.
- Spoon batter evenly into the cupcake cups 3/4 of the way full and then lower heat to 325 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes then remove to cooling racks to cool completely
- When the cupcakes are cool, make your frosting. In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, whip your butter until creamy.
- Add in your powdered sugar, vanilla, cream and salt.
- Mix to combine.
- Add in your purple food coloring and then mix to combine. Spoon your frosting into a piping bag or a storage bag with the corner snipped off and frost your cupcakes.
- Add 2-3 large gumballs and then fill in the spaces around them with the candy sprinkles
- Refrigerate until needed then serve immediately
- **Alternative recipe mentioned at end of blog post**
These are super cute, and I love the name. I confess I’m not big on fall (bring on the hot weather lol) or Halloween, but these are great haha. Pinning!
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Enjoy your new Red Plate and have a great weekend.
Miz Helen
These cupcakes are so fun!