This post may contain Affiliate Links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something. Please check our Disclosure Policy for more details.
These Ghost Cupcakes are an easy Halloween cupcake idea. Make the easy one-bowl chocolate cupcakes, a delicious chocolate buttercream frosting and some cute chocolate ghost cupcake toppers for an easy Halloween cupcake baking project!
It’s almost Halloween.
I absolutely love everything fall – the weather, the scarves, the drinks and the treats. There’s enough to make a fall bucket every year. And of course there are plenty of fall desserts to go along with them – like these pumpkin spice cupcakes, or apple hand pies.
Growing up, I didn’t really care for dressing up on Halloween, nor did I enjoy the spooky decor that was all around us.
But I could get behind all the candy and treats that came along with Halloween.
If you’re looking for a simple Halloween baking project, these ghost cupcake toppers are an excellent way to celebrate Halloween! Especially if you’re a chocolate lover!
I’ve got chocolate cupcakes, a rich chocolate frosting, and white chocolate ghosts. So you don’t have to deal with any icky candy for Halloween (I’m looking at you candy corn).
My full tutorial is also posted on my YouTube channel:
How to make Ghost Cupcakes for Halloween
There’s three parts to these cupcakes:
- Chocolate cupcakes
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Ghost Cupcakes Toppers made with white Chocolate
Chocolate cupcakes
This chocolate cupcake is super moist, because it uses oil and brown sugar in the recipe.
They’re super chocolatey from adding both melted chocolate and cocoa powder in the batter.
And they’re a one bowl recipe!
#1: First mix all the wet ingredients
Mix together the melted chocolate, oil, white and brown sugar. Then add in the egg and beat it for a few minutes.
#2: Add in the dry ingredients
Sift in the flour, cocoa powder baking soda, baking powder and salt.
#3: Mix and Bake
Mix the batter together just until it’s incorporated, then bake at 350ºF for 18-20 minutes.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
I typically use Swiss meringue buttercream for most of my cakes and cupcakes, but I chose to make this an easy baking project with a simple American Buttercream frosting.
The chocolate frosting has both melted chocolate and cocoa powder for a super chocolate-y flavor.
The frosting is really simple to make. And it is a the perfect pairing for this cupcake!
Make sure that the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature to get the best texture!
#1: Whip the butter
The key is to start with room temperature butter.
Whip the butter together until it is light and fluffy. The color of your butter should be a lot lighter than when it first started.
It takes me about 3-5 minutes with a hand mixer.
#2: add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and cream
Then add in icing sugar, cream, and cocoa in multiple additions.
Make sure to mix each addition, before moving on to the next!
#3: Transfer to a piping bag and pipe on cooled cupcakes
Once you’re happy with the consistency of the frosting, transfer to a piping bag.
And pipe them on the cooled cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip for these cupcakes.
Ghost Cupcake Toppers made with white Chocolate
The cupcake toppers are made with white chocolate chips for the ghost body, and then a little bit of melted chocolate for the ghost eyes.
#1: Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave
Make sure to start with a dry bowl, to avoid the chocolate chips from seizing.
Then heat the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 15 second increments. And make sure to mix between each time.
It feels tedious, but it makes sure that you don’t overheat the chocolate chips.
#2: Make the ghost bodies
Drop about 1/2 teaspoon of the white chocolate on a piece of parchment paper.
Spread it out with an offset spatula or back of a spoon.
Repeat until you have enough.
#3: Make ghost eyes
Melt chocolate and and it to a ziploc bag or piping bag with a tiny hole.
Pipe the chocolate eyes.
#4: Cool to firm
Allow the chocolate toppers to firm up in the fridge for at least 15 minutes so they firm up.
#5: Peel and Place
When you’re ready to use the ghost toppers, make sure to peel them carefully. If you feel that they are at all stuck, let them cool for longer.
Make sure to work quickly to transfer from them the parchment paper to the cupcake as the white chocolate can melt from the heat of your hands.
Tips for the Ghost Cupcakes
- This recipe is a small-batch recipe for only 6-8 cupcakes. It can easily be doubled or tripled for more cupcakes!
- These cupcakes are really moist because of the brown sugar and using oil instead of butter.
- To get a moist and fluffy cupcake (rather than a dense crumb), make sure to not overmix the batter. I typically mix dry and wet ingredients together by hand because it helps mix it just right.
- The frosting uses both melted chocolate and cocoa powder to get that really chocolatey taste!
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature and whip it together until it is light and fluffy, before adding the powdered sugar. The color of your butter should change – it usually takes me 3-5 minutes with a hand mixer for small batches.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and cream in three additions, and mixing well between each addition for the best texture.
- If your cocoa powder or powdered sugar seems clumpy, make sure to sift for best results.
- When melting the chocolate chips for the ghost cupcake toppers, make sure to heat it in the microwave 15 seconds at a time, and mix between each interval. This will make sure that your chocolate doesn’t seize up.
- The ghost cupcake toppers will firm up in the fridge, in about 10-15 minutes.
- Try not to touch the cupcake toppers with your hands too much, as the white chocolate is sensitive to the heat of your hands.
Let me know if you give it a try!
Tag me in your creations and follow me on Instagram @sprinklesandscribbles for more baking inspiration!
Cheers,
Anum
Ready to make these Chocolate cupcakes with White Chocolate Ghost Toppers?
Shop my baking essentials
Ghost Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1/4 cup canola oil 60 mL
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 g
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 50 g
- 1/8 cup chocolate, chopped 1 oz or 28 g
- 1 egg, large
- 1/2 cup AP flour 60 g
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder 25 g
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup milk
Chocolate Frosting
- 113 grams butter 1/2 cup or 1 stick
- 1/4 cup cocoa 25 g
- 1 cup icing sugar 120g
- 1/2 cup chocolate, chopped 56 g, or 2 oz
- 2 tbsp cream
- Pinch salt
White Chocolate Ghost Toppers
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips about 100 grams
- 1/4 tsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp melted chocolate
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large bowl, mix together, the oil, white sugar, brown sugar and melted chocolate. Add in the egg, and beat for a couple of minutes.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder.
- Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners (about 6-8).
- Bake at 350 ºF for 18-20 minutes.
- Cupcakes are done when toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool cupcakes in cupcake tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Melt chopped chocolate in microwave for about 45 seconds to 1 minutes. Let cool for 5-7 minutes
- Beat room temperature butter until fluffy.
- Add in cooled melted chocolate and mix until incorporated.
- Add in 1/3 cup icing sugar and mix until incorporated, then add 1/2 tbsp of cream and mix in completely. Add in half the cocoa powder, and mix until incorporated.
- Repeat process, until all the ingredients have been used up.
- Beat until incorporated and frosting is light and fluffy.
- If frosting is too soft, add in more icing sugar (2 tbsp at a time), if too frosting is too stiff, add a little cream (1 teaspoon at a time)
White Chocolate Ghost Toppers
- Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat white chocolate chips in the microwave at 15 second increments, mixing between each, until melted.
- Add oil, and mix in completely.
- Working quickly, spoon about 1/2 tsp of white chocolate mix on the prepared baking sheet. Then using the back of a spoon or offset spatula spread the chocolate to create ghost like shape.
- Repeat with the rest of the white chocolate mixture
- Melt the milk chocolate and transfer to a piping bag or ziploc bag. Cut a hole at the end to create a small opening.
- Pipe chocolate to make eyes on the white chocolate ghosts.
- Allow the chocolate ghosts to cool and harden completely at room temperature or in the fridge (about 20-30 minutes)
Assemble the Cupcakes
- Transfer chocolate frosting to a piping bag, fitted with a Wilton 1M tip. Swirl icing onto cupcakes as desired.
- Remove white chocolate ghost from baking sheet, and stand it on the cupcake. Work quickly, as the white chocolate will melt quickly from the heat of your hand.
- Finish with sprinkles, if desired.
Leave a Reply