250+ HALLOWEEN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPES & IDEAS: National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

Today is National Chocolate Cupcake Day, and with Halloween right around the corner, what's more fun than spooky Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes?

Country Living has 43 fabulous Cupcake Ideas with Recipes. You won't want to miss this. 

And here are 28 more Fun Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes from Country Living. 

AllRecipes has links to multiple Inspirations, Ideas, and Recipes

Good Housekeeping has 61 Seriously Cute Halloween Cupcake Ideas that link back to some of your favorite bloggers' cupcake ideas.

 

Taste of Home has 21 Recipes for Halloween Cupcakes

I love these easy Bat Cupcakes from Betty Crocker. 

The Food Network has 24 Halloween Cupcakes that are Too Cute to Eat.

The Pioneer Woman has a round-up of 35 Easy Halloween Cupcake Ideas that are Both Sweet and Spooky. 

And this is just a start. Check out your favorite bloggers and dessert sites for other Halloween Chocolate Cupcake Ideas.

Have a favorite? Post a comment below with the link! Boo!

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES: National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Yesterday was Chocolate Cupcake Day. How did I miss it? Well, making up for it today with this recipe for Triple Chocolate Cupcakes. I like to fill my cupcakes with chocolate ganache. If you find ganache is too thick, just thin the ganache with a bit of cream. I also use the ganache for the icing. Saves a step.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Cupcakes

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Dark cocoa powder  (Read about Natural vs. Dutch Process cocoa)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla
2/3 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Directions
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
In small bowl, place flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder and combine.
Add milk and vanilla and stir.
Add 1/3 dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
Add half milk/vanilla mixture and beat to combine.
Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with dry ingredients.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Scoop batter into cupcake cups between 1/2 & 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

To make cupcakes flat on top: Bake in paper cups and flip onto flat surface when finished baking.  Leave pan sitting on top to make them flat. Allow to cool.
Freeze cupcakes and then use an apple corer to make the hole for the filling.

Ganache

Ingredients
12 ounces good quality chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions
Place chocolate in medium sized bowl. 
Heat cream over medium low heat until barely begins to boil. Remove from heat immediately. Do not over-heat! 
Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for minute. 
Stir mixture (gently) until chocolate is melted and blended with cream. 
Add butter and combine. 
Do not beat the mixture.
Cool before filling or spreading. (use pastry bag to fill and frost) 

Sprinkle with jimmies, chocolate curls, silver balls, or other decorations.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES: National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Today is National Chocolate Cupcake Day. I could stop by the bakery or Cara's Cupcakes and pick up a cupcake or two, but I'll probably just make some Triple Chocolate Cupcakes. I like to fill my cupcakes with chocolate ganache. If you find it too thick, just thin a bit with some cream. I also use the ganache for the icing. Saves a step.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Cupcakes

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Dark cocoa powder  (Read about Natural vs. Dutch Process cocoa)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla
2/3 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Directions
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
In small bowl, place flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder, and combine.
Add milk and vanilla and stir.
Add 1/3 dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
Add half milk/vanilla mixture and beat to combine.
Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with dry ingredients.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Scoop batter into cupcake cups between 1/2 & 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

To make cupcakes flat on top: Bake in paper cups and flip onto flat surface when finished baking.  Leave pan sitting on top to make them flat. Allow to cool.
Freeze cupcakes and then use an apple corer to make the hole for the filling.

Ganache
Of course, you might have some leftover ganache in the freezer. 
Read Things to Do With Leftover Ganache.

Ingredients
12 ounces good quality chocolate, chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions
Place chocolate in medium sized bowl. 
Heat cream over medium low heat until barely begins to boil. Remove from heat immediately. Do not over-heat! 
Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for minute. 
Stir mixture (gently) until chocolate is melted and blended with cream. 
Add butter and combine. 
Do not beat the mixture.
Cool before filling or spreading. (use pastry bag to fill and frost) 

Sprinkle with chocolate curls, sprinkles, or other decorations.

Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes: National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Today is National Chocolate Cupcake Day, and it's a Holiday I can certainly get behind. I've blogged several cupcake recipes over the years. The one that is most timely, being that it's so close to Halloween is the recipe for Chocolate Cemetery Cupcakes.

Here are a few other recipes you might want to try today in order to celebrate National Chocolate Cupcake Day!

Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Red, White & Blue Cupcakes
Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes
Dirt Cupcakes (for Earth Day)

Don't want to bake? There are so many fabulous cupcake stores, that I'm sure you'll be able to find a chocolate cupcake to your liking!

Here's a new (to this blog) recipe for Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes, adapted from PillsburyBaking

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Sugar
5 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
1 large Egg
5 ounces dark Chocolate (65-75 % cacao), broken into small pieces (or chocolate chips)
2 1/2 cups Cake Flour
1 2/3 cups Sugar
1/4 cup DARK baking cocoa
1 1/4 cups Water
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Vinegar
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Madagascar vanilla extract

Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 350°F.
Line 24 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups.
Beat 1/2 cup sugar and cream cheese in large bowl until smooth.
Beat in egg until smooth.
Stir in chocolate pieces (or chips); set aside.
2. Beat remaining ingredients in large bowl on high speed 3 minutes.
Reserve 1 1/2 cups batter.
3. Fill each muffin cup 1/3 full.
Spoon 1 tablespoonful cream cheese mixture onto batter in each cup.
Top each cup with reserved batter.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool.

October 18: National Chocolate Cupcake Day

October 18 is National Chocolate Cupcake Day. I've given various Chocolate Cupcake Recipes before, and I had planned to do a round-up of chocolate cupcake recipes, but instead, I thought I'd post a wonderful Chocolate Cupcake recipe by Grace Parisi on Food & Wine. I like a good chocolate ganache for these, but you can use any of your favorite toppings or have a look at suggestions below.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the vegetable oil and water over low heat.
3. In a large bowl, sift the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the melted butter mixture and beat with a handheld mixer at low speed until smooth. Add the egg and beat until incorporated, then add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat until smooth, scraping the bottom and side of the bowl. Pour the batter into the lined muffin tins, filling them about three-fourths full.
4. Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, until springy and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool slightly, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Frost and top the cupcakes as desired.

Want to vary this recipe? Grace Parisi gives you tips to create mix-and-match cupcakes using this recipe with different toppings.

Another idea that's always fun and beautiful is to top the chocolate ganache with a chocolate covered strawberry.

Photo: Kana Okada