Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe

If you’re on the hunt for a fun, spooky, and absolutely delicious treat, you’re going to adore this Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe. I first made these for a Halloween party, and let me tell you, they stole the show. Not only do they taste like rich, chocolatey heaven, but they also bring a playful vibe with their adorable black cat decorations that your friends and family will love. Stick with me, and by the end, you’ll be baking up the cutest cupcakes on the block!

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Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of this Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe lies in simple, reliable ingredients that combine to create rich chocolate cupcakes with the most luscious cream cheese frosting. You’ll want to have these basics at the ready for smooth baking and easy decorating.

• Unsalted butter: Softened for perfect mixing and smooth frosting texture.
• Cream cheese: Make sure it’s softened too — it gives the frosting that tangy richness.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Sifted to avoid lumps and bring deep chocolaty flavor.
• Confectioners’ sugar: The key to a silky-smooth, sweet frosting.
• Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle warmth to balance the chocolate.
• Milk: Just enough to get your frosting to the perfect piping consistency.
• Chocolate cupcakes: Use your favorite standard-size baked chocolate cupcakes as the base for decorating.
• Chocolate sprinkles: Coats the frosted cupcakes for added texture and chocolaty crunch.
• Chocolate Candy Melts: For crafting those cute triangular ears — they hold shape beautifully.
• Small yellow gumdrops: These become the bright and playful eyes.
• Black licorice laces: For whiskers and eye details, adding fun flair to your black cats.

Variations

I love playing around with this Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe to fit different moods or dietary needs. What’s great is how versatile it is—you can customize the decorations or swap ingredients for allergies without losing that irresistible chocolaty goodness.

• Dairy-Free Version: I’ve substituted vegan butter and cream cheese alternatives with great success for friends who can’t do dairy.
• Colorful Eyes: Try using different colored gumdrops or edible candy eyes to give each cat cupcake a unique personality.
• Peppermint Twist: Adding a drop of peppermint extract to the frosting gives a refreshing kick that my family goes crazy for during the holidays.
• Mini Cupcake Size: Perfect for parties, I sometimes make mini black cat cupcakes—they bake faster and are easier for little hands to handle.

How to Make Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe

Step 1: Prepare Your Frosting and Setup

Begin by making the chocolate cream cheese frosting. I like to beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until incredibly smooth before adding the sifted cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar. A splash of vanilla and a few tablespoons of milk help you achieve a beautiful consistency that’s easy to pipe but thick enough to hold shape.

Once your frosting is ready, fit a piping bag with a #4 plain tip and fill it with about ¼ cup of frosting. This will be used later for the little cat noses, so keep it handy on your countertop.

Step 2: Create the Cat’s Face Decor

This is the part where your cupcakes really come to life! Take your small yellow gumdrops and cut a thin 1/8-inch slice off their larger end to form the eyes. Then carefully press a small piece of black licorice lace onto the cut side of each slice—this adds the pupils and makes the eyes pop.

For the ears, grab your chocolate Candy Melts and with a sharp paring knife, carefully cut the round chocolate dots into little triangles. It might seem tricky at first, but I discovered that if your knife is warm (just a quick rinse with hot water and dried), it slices through the Candy Melts with ease.

Cut the black licorice lace into 1½ to 2-inch lengths to use for the whiskers. These small details really charm everyone once assembled.

Step 3: Frost and Decorate the Cupcakes

Now the fun part: frosting! Spread or pipe a generous layer of your chocolate cream cheese frosting onto each chocolate cupcake. Don’t be shy here — these cupcakes are meant to be luscious. Then, roll or sprinkle each cupcake in chocolate sprinkles so they’re fully coated for an extra chocolaty crunch and beautiful black finish.

Next, gently press the triangular chocolate ears into the frosting at the back of each cupcake. Then, position the gumdrop eyes with licorice pupils near the center. Add the licorice whiskers, arranging them symmetrically for that classic cat face look. Finally, pipe a tiny frosting dot in the middle to mimic the cat nose — I find that this little touch completes the personality perfectly.

How to Serve Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe

Garnishes

I usually keep the garnishes simple to spotlight those charming cat faces — chocolate sprinkles are perfect because they add texture and a glossy finish without overpowering the design. Sometimes I add a tiny dusting of edible glitter on special occasions for a little sparkle, and it always brings smiles.

Side Dishes

These cupcakes pair wonderfully with anything light and refreshing to balance out all the rich chocolate — think fresh fruit slices like strawberries or orange sections. A nice cup of black coffee or a creamy hot chocolate also complements these cupcakes beautifully.

Creative Ways to Present

For Halloween, I like to present these Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe on a tiered stand draped in faux spider webs for maximum spooky effect. Another fun idea is to place each cupcake in a small black cupcake liner with a little paper “moon” backdrop stuck behind the cat’s ears — it makes a whimsical scene that’s super fun for kids.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

When we have leftovers (which I secretly hope for!), I store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge. The frosting can soften a bit, but they stay perfectly moist. I recommend bringing them to room temperature before serving so that creamy frosting shines.

Freezing

I’ve frozen these cupcakes both frosted and unfrosted. To freeze after decorating, place them on a baking sheet just until the frosting sets, then wrap individually in plastic wrap. When thawed, they keep their flavor and texture surprisingly well — great for prepping ahead of Halloween or parties.

Reheating

If frozen, thaw cupcakes overnight in the fridge, then let them warm up at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. I don’t recommend microwaving because it can alter the frosting’s texture, but if you must, use a low power setting in 10-second bursts.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Making this Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe always takes me back to cozy moments in the kitchen with friends and family giggling over our spooky creations. It’s a recipe that’s as fun as it is delicious — perfect for Halloween or any time you want to add a little whimsy to your dessert table. I can’t wait for you to try it and see how these charming black cats become your new favorite cupcakes, too!

Black Cat Cupcakes Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 106 reviews

• Author: Alvarez
• Prep Time: 45 min
• Cook Time: 45 min
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
• Yield: 12 cupcakes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

These Black Cat Cupcakes are a fun and festive chocolate treat perfect for Halloween or any themed party. The cupcakes boast rich chocolate flavor from moist chocolate bases to creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting, adorned with cute black cat faces crafted from gumdrops, licorice, and chocolate candy melts. Easy to decorate and sure to delight kids and adults alike!

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Ingredients

Frosting

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
• 1 lb (4 cups) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tbsp milk

Decoration

• 24 small yellow gumdrops
• Black licorice laces
• 1 cup chocolate sprinkles
• 24 chocolate Candy Melts

Cupcakes

• 12 standard-size baked chocolate cupcakes

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Instructions

1. Prepare piping bag and frosting: Fit a piping bag with a #4 plain tip and fill it with ¼ cup of the prepared chocolate cream cheese frosting; set aside for decorating later.
2. Make the cat eyes: Slice off an 1/8-inch-thick piece from the larger end of each yellow gumdrop. Attach a small piece of black licorice lace to the cut side of each slice to create the eyes with pupils.
3. Form the ears: Using a paring knife, carefully cut the chocolate Candy Melts coating dots into small triangle shapes to form the cat ears.
4. Create whiskers: Cut black licorice laces into 1½ to 2-inch lengths to serve as the cat’s whiskers.
5. Frost and decorate cupcakes: Spread the chocolate cream cheese frosting generously over each cupcake, then coat the sides and tops with chocolate sprinkles. Insert the chocolate triangle ears into the frosting on each cupcake, add the licorice whiskers, attach the gumdrop eyes, and pipe a small frosting nose using the prepared piping bag.

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Notes

• These cupcakes are chocolatey from the base to the frosting, providing a rich and indulgent treat.
• The decorating process is simple and kid-friendly, making them great for festive occasions like Halloween.
• Use fresh ingredients and soften butter and cream cheese to achieve the best frosting texture.
• If desired, customize the colors of gumdrops and licorice to create different themed faces.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cupcake
• Calories: 832
• Sugar: 95 g
• Sodium: 221 mg
• Fat: 44 g
• Saturated Fat: 24 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 113 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 54 mg