Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Spiderwebs 🕸
Halloween baking just got even more fun with these Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange Spiderwebs! Soft, rich chocolate cupcakes topped with creamy black cocoa buttercream, homemade orange candy spiderwebs, and the cutest little spider sprinkles. They’re festive, chocolatey, and surprisingly easy to decorate.
The best part? You don’t need any fancy decorating skills to pull these off. A little melted candy, some parchment paper, and a piping bag are all it takes to make these spooky little toppers. Perfect for Halloween parties, October baking, or just because chocolate cupcakes are always a good idea.
Ingredient Notes
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
● All-purpose flour
● Granulated sugar
● Dutch-process cocoa powder
● Baking powder
● Baking soda
● Salt
● Large egg
● Milk
● Avocado oil (or another neutral oil)
● Vanilla extract
● Hot coffee (or hot water)
For the Black Cocoa Buttercream
● Unsalted or salted butter
● Black cocoa powder
● Powdered sugar
● Vanilla extract
● Salt
● Milk
For the Spiderweb Decorations
● Orange candy melts (I used Wilton)
● Black spider-shaped sprinkles
🎃 Why You’ll Love These
- That orange-and-black contrast screams Halloween in the best way.
- The cupcakes are tender, rich, and full of chocolate flavor.
- The frosting is silky, smooth, and not too sweet.
- The decorations are shockingly easy to make but look totally pro.
Storage & Freezing
Room Temperature: Store the decorated cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, provided your kitchen stays cool. Keep them away from direct sunlight or heat to prevent the frosting and candy decorations from softening.
Refrigerator: Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Freezer: The unfrosted chocolate cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap each cupcake individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and decorating.
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the orange candy spiderwebs a day or two in advance! Once completely hardened, store them between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to decorate.
My Favorite Baking Tools
This post contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Bonia Bakery!
Cupcake Pan: A standard muffin or cupcake pan is essential for baking evenly sized cupcakes with perfectly fluffy centers.
Cupcake Liners: Make removing the cupcakes from the pan easy while keeping cleanup to a minimum. Halloween-themed liners are an especially cute touch!
Piping Bags: Perfect for piping those beautiful swirls of black cocoa buttercream and creating the orange candy spiderweb toppers.
Parchment Paper: A must-have for making the homemade spiderweb decorations! Pipe the melted orange candy directly onto parchment paper, allow it to harden, and carefully peel away your finished webs.
Digital Kitchen Scale: One of my favorite baking essentials for accurately measuring ingredients and getting consistent results every time.
Mixing Bowls: Perfect for combining the cupcake batter, preparing the buttercream, and melting the orange candy for decorating.
🧁 Ingredients
Cupcakes (makes 8–10)
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or neutral oil of choice)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ tablespoons hot coffee (or hot water)
Frosting (for 8–10 cupcakes)
- ¾ cup unsalted (or salted) butter, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup black cocoa powder
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1–2 tablespoons milk, as needed
Decorations
- ¼ cup orange candy melts (I used Wilton brand)
- Black spider-shaped sprinkles
🕸 Directions
Step 1: Make your cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, whisking until smooth. Finally, stir in the hot coffee until the batter is silky and glossy.
Divide the batter evenly among your cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Step 2: Make your frosting
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat your butter until smooth and creamy, about 1–2 minutes.
Add in the black cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat on low speed until combined. Gradually increase the speed and beat until fluffy. Add milk as needed to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
Step 3: Frost your cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are cool, frost them generously. You can use a piping bag for a fancy swirl or just a spatula for that thick, cozy homemade look — both are equally gorgeous.
Step 4: Make your orange spiderwebs
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt your orange candy melts in 15-second intervals until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate into a small zip-top bag, snip off a tiny corner, and pipe spiderweb shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Let them cool and harden for about 5 minutes — they’ll peel right off the parchment once set!
Step 5: Decorate!
Gently place your orange spiderwebs on top of each cupcake, then sprinkle a few black spider-shaped sprinkles over the frosting.