Go Back
–+ servings
3 witch hat cupcakes are on a white table. The cupcakes are black, purple and orange. Spiders and a skeleton hand are next to the cupcakes.
Print Recipe

Witch Hat Cupcakes

These festive Witch Hat Cupcakes will enchant your Halloween parties! Delight in moist chocolate cupcakes topped with buttercream and spooky chocolate hats.
Course: dessert
Cuisine: american
Keyword: buttercream halloween cupcakes, easy halloween cupcake ideas, halloween cupcake designs, halloween cupcake ideas, halloween cupcakes, halloween cupcakes easy, spooky cupcakes, witch hat cake, witch hat cupcakes, witches hat cupcakes
Servings: 12 cupcakes

Equipment

Ingredients

Cupcake batter:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup boiling water

Buttercream:

  • 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • food coloring orange, green, yellow and purple
  • 2 cups marshmallow fluff

Witch Hats:

  • 2 ½ cups chocolate chips melted
  • 1 cup black sanding sugar
  • 12 oreo cookies
  • 12 mini ice cream cones
  • sour belt candy

Instructions

Bake the cupcakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and mix together.
  • Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla extract and mix with an electric mixer until combined.
  • Slowly add the boiling water and mix until well combined.
  • Divide the batter evenly between two cupcake pans and bake for 15-20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.

Make the buttercream:

  • Beat the butter with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating with each addition.
  • Dye about ¼ cup of the buttercream yellow with the yellow food coloring. Place the yellow buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a small, round piping tip.
  • Divide the remaining buttercream into 3 bowls. Dye the buttercream orange, green and purple and place it into piping bags fitted with large, star-shaped piping tips.

Make the hats:

  • Pour the black sanding sugar into a large, shallow bowl or onto a baking sheet. Lay the oreo cookies flat on a plate. Set aside.
  • Make one hat at a time by dipping the top of one oreo cookie in the melted chocolate chips, so that the entire top surface of the cookie is covered. Return the cookie to the plate, chocolate side up.
  • Pick up one ice cream cone, holding it by placing two fingers inside the cone – this is so the sides don’t get smushed! Roll the sides of the cone in the melted chocolate, allowing any excess chocolate to drip off. If there is too much chocolate on the cone, the sugar will have trouble sticking.
  • Immediately roll the cone in the sanding sugar, making sure that it is evenly coated. Place the cone on top of the chocolate-dipped cookie. Sprinkle some more sanding sugar on top of the cookie so that any excess chocolate is covered in sugar. Wrap a sour belt around the base of the cone, using some extra chocolate to seal it closed. Set the hat aside on a tray and repeat to make the remaining 11 hats.
  • Chill the hats in the fridge for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.
  • Use the yellow buttercream to pipe a buckle onto each hat. Set aside.

Decorate the cupcakes:

  • Use a small spoon to remove the center of each cupcake. Spoon some marshmallow fluff into each cupcake. You can place the marshmallow fluff into a piping bag to make this process much easier!
  • Pipe a swirl of purple, green or orange buttercream onto the cupcakes. Top with a hat and enjoy!

Notes

Storage Directions
At room temperature - Store leftovers from this Halloween cupcakes easy recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. 
In the refrigerator - If your kitchen is warm, store the cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving. 
Recipe Success Tips
  • For the smoothest texture, ensure the butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature before mixing the cupcake batter. 
  • Avoid overmixing the cupcake batter. Doing so can result in dense cupcakes; stir until just combined. 
  • Chill the prepared witch hats in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to set the chocolate before placing them on the cupcakes for easy decorating. 
  • Use different food coloring combinations if desired to match your party theme. 
  • To add more decoration, choose cupcake liners with designs or different colors.