Halloween Feed: Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Spiced Pumpkin Buttercream

These cupcakes are perfect Halloween treat for adults - and kids, if you must. Besides being the right colors, the overall flavor is deliciously warm and very fall. I'm going to take a risk and share my absolute *favorite* go-to chocolate cupcake recipe, the ingredients of which might surprise you just a little (no eggs, no butter)! In the past, I have also added mini chocolate chips to the batter with lots of approvals. 


The recipe makes about 32 minis or 15 regular cupcakes, depending on your pans or size of cups, and I suggest making a double batch in order to use up all of the frosting (unless you find yourself eating it along the way for breakfast, like me).

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking soda (1/2 tsp if at altitude)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp distilled white vinegar


Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Fill liners 3/4 full (trust me, you'll get the nice dome) and bake for 14 minutes for minis or 24 minutes for regular size. Cool on racks.

Spiced Pumpkin Buttercream
modified from Loves to Eat


2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree, or more to taste
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.25 lbs powdered sugar, or more to taste


Cream together butter, pumpkin and spices until combined. Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach a desired consistency and sweetness. I prefer this frosting to be on the less-sweet side to let the pumpkin shine through. Less sugar will also help the frosting retain the pumpkin color.


Happy Halloween! Let all goblins, ghosts and ghouls enjoy a tasty night.