Description
Delightfully rich and moist Black Cat Cupcakes made with dark chocolate fudge cake mix and chocolate pudding, topped with creamy chocolate buttercream frosting and decorated to look like adorable black cats. Perfect for Halloween or any fun occasion, these cupcakes feature chocolate ears, candy eyes, whiskers, and a heart-shaped nose for a whimsical touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Ingredients
- 1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix
- 1 (3.9 oz.) package chocolate fudge instant pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup chocolate milk (or regular whole milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Frosting and Decorations
- 1 batch Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Chocolate sprinkles (optional, for coating)
- 3 Hershey chocolate bars
- 24 large heart sprinkles
- 48 candy eyes
- 48 Chocolate pocky sticks (or black licorice/chocolate dipped pretzel sticks as alternatives)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside to be ready for the batter.
- Mix cupcake batter: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the dark chocolate fudge cake mix, chocolate fudge instant pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, vegetable oil, chocolate milk, vanilla extract, salt, and mini chocolate chips. Mix until well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
- Fill cupcake liners: Spoon a scant ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake liner, filling them about ¾ full for perfect rise and shape during baking.
- Bake cupcakes: Place the cupcake pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, indicating they are done.
- Cool cupcakes: Let the cupcakes rest in the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before proceeding to frosting to prevent melting.
- Prepare frosting: While the cupcakes cool, prepare the Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting according to the recipe instructions. This frosting will add creamy chocolate goodness to your cupcakes.
- Frost cupcakes: Pipe the chocolate buttercream frosting onto each cooled cupcake generously, creating a nice swirl or a flat top based on your preference.
- Coat with sprinkles: Pour chocolate sprinkles into a small bowl. Dip the frosted cupcakes upside down into the sprinkles to coat the top of the frosting, adding texture and extra chocolate flavor.
- Prepare chocolate ears: Break each Hershey chocolate bar along its middle divet, then cut each half into quarters and further cut each quarter into two triangles. Each bar yields 8 pairs of triangular ears. Insert two triangles into each cupcake to mimic cat ears poking out.
- Add cat face decorations: Place one large heart sprinkle on each cupcake as the cat’s nose and attach two candy eyes above the nose to create the face of the black cat.
- Add whiskers: Break the chocolate pocky sticks in half to make shorter pieces. Insert two halves on each side of the face on the cupcake to represent the cat’s whiskers. Alternatively, black licorice or chocolate dipped pretzel sticks can be used.
Notes
- If you don’t have chocolate milk, regular whole milk can be used instead without issue.
- For whiskers, black licorice or chocolate dipped pretzel sticks are good substitutes if pocky sticks are unavailable.
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent frosting from melting.
- Chocolate sprinkles are optional but add a nice texture and chocolate burst to the frosting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
