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Quick & Easy One-Eyed Monster Chocolate Cupcakes

One-Eyed Monster Chocolate Cupcakes - featured image
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Rich, fudgy chocolate cupcakes topped with silky chocolate frosting and silly candy eyeballs. Ready in about 25 minutes, these monster-faced treats are perfect for weeknight baking with kids.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
  • ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (120ml) hot coffee
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
  • ¼ cup (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2–3 tablespoons (30-45ml) milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12–24 candy eyeballs
  • Black decorating gel

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Make a well in the center. Add egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir gently until just combined.
  4. Slowly stream in hot coffee while stirring until batter is smooth and thin.
  5. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Tap pan gently to release air bubbles.
  6. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. For frosting: Beat softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons milk, and vanilla. Beat on low until combined, then on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add more milk if needed.
  8. Spoon frosting into a piping bag or zip-top bag. Pipe a generous swirl onto each cooled cupcake.
  9. Press two candy eyeballs into the frosting on each cupcake. Use black decorating gel to draw mouths, eyebrows, or other monster details.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter. The hot coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cupcakes taste like coffee. For best results, use room temperature ingredients. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon vinegar to regular milk and let sit 5 minutes. For dairy-free, use almond or oat milk with vinegar and plant-based butter. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and add an extra tablespoon of buttermilk.

Nutrition

Keywords: chocolate cupcakes, monster cupcakes, easy cupcakes, kid-friendly, quick dessert, Halloween cupcakes, one-eyed monster

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/quick-and-easy-one-eyed-monster-chocolate-cupcakes/