Soot Sprite Cupcakes

5 from 2 ratings

Soot Sprite Cupcakes

These soot sprite cupcakes are made with moist dark chocolate cupcakes and are decorated with black cocoa frosting to look just like adorable dust bunnies!

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Additional Time30

Total Time58

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature 180g
1/3 cup milk or dark chocolate chips, melted 57g
1 tsp instant espresso or coffee 2g
3/4 cup all purpose flour 100g
3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
1/3 cup dark or black cocoa powder 27g
1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 73g
2 large eggs, room temperature 114g
1 tsp white vinegar 4g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Black Cocoa Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
1 cup powdered sugar 125g
1/3 cup dark or black cocoa powder 27g
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g
1/2 cup or 4 oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled 90g
black gel food coloring

Additional Decorations

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:

Begin by preheating oven to 350°F / 175°C, and place 12 cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
Add 3/4 cup of buttermilk, 1/3 cup melted chocolate chips and 1 tsp instant espresso powder into a heat proof bowl. Heat in the microwave at power level 7 for 1 minute or over a double boiler until the chocolate has melted.
Whisk together until the ingredients have combined, making sure all the chocolate is melted. The mixture might look a little separated, but it will come together once you add in your dry ingredients.
Sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (3/4 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup black or dark cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking soda) into chocolate espresso mixture and stir until combined.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
Add 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vinegar and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix just until the batter is smooth.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for about 18-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Black Cocoa Buttercream:

Beat 1/2 cup of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed.
Slowly mix in 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/3 cup black cocoa.
Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream half through adding in the powdered sugar to make it easier to mix.
Mix in 1/2 cup of cooled, melted dark chocolate and a couple squirts of black gel food coloring.
Beat on low until the frosting is evenly colored and the desired consistency and color are reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add in another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth.
Place the frosting into a large piping bag fit with a grass frosting tip and set aside.

Decorating These Soot Sprite Cupcakes:

To decorate these soot sprite cupcakes, use a grass tip to pipe black frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes.
Top with candy eyes and some colorful sprinkle stars and enjoy.

Video

Notes

This recipe can also be used to make mini soot sprite cupcakes! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, which only need to bake for 9-10 minutes.

These cupcakes can be made in advance! Just be sure to wait to add the candy eyes and stars, or else the sprinkles can bleed. If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, these cupcakes can last for:

2 days at room temperature
Up to a week in the fridge
Up to 3 months in the freezer

If you have extra buttercream you don't use, it can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or piping bag for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition