Halloween Spiderweb Cupcakes with Chocolate Spiders

Have you already decided what are you going to make for Halloween this year? If you still haven’t, but you want to treat yourself for this beloved and spooky holiday, we suggest that you make these adorable spiderweb cupcakes with chocolate frosting and cute little chocolate spiders. Even if they look a bit difficult to make, they aren’t at all – you just need a toothpick and a small amount of melted chocolate to achieve this gorgeously looking chocolate spiderweb. 

Ingredients for 12 Chocolate Spiderweb Cupcakes:

• 150 g all purpose flour
• 100 ml milk
• 75 g sugar
• 75 g butter
• 50 g chocolate chips
• 25 g cocoa powder
• 1 eggs
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ½ tsp. salt

Ingredients for the Chocolate Cupcake Frosting:

• 300 g cream cheese
• 60 g icing sugar
• 45 g butter, softened
• 6 tsp. cocoa

Ingredients for the Chocolate Spiderweb Decoration:

• 100 g dark chocolate
• 40 g white chocolate

Ingredients for 12 Halloween chocolate spiders:

• 30 g dark chocolate
• Multicoloured 100’s and 1000’s sprinkles for the spider eyes

Chocolate Spiderweb Cupcakes Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a muffin baking tray with cupcake cases.
2. In a big bowl, mix the butter and sugar together.
3. Mix in the egg, milk and vanilla.
4. Add in the sifted flour, baking powder, cocoa, salt and chocolate chips and beat until well combined.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cupcake cases until ¾ full. Bake for about 30 minutes and leave them to cool onto a cooling rack.

Chocolate Frosting Preparation:

1. Mix together the cream cheese and butter.
2. While beating, gradually add the icing sugar until a thick and fluffy cream is formed.
3. Mix in the cocoa until incorporated.
4. Pour the chocolate frosting into a piping pot and decorate the Halloween cupcakes with a smooth “hat” of 1-2 cm thickness. Set the cupcakes aside to harden, you can even chill them in the fridge for half an hour. 
5. Melt the two different types of chocolate in separate melting pots. Transfer the white chocolate into a piping bag. Using a spoon, smear the dark chocolate over the chocolate frosting. Before it has stiffened, start shaping a spiral with the white chocolate starting from the centre and going outwards making bigger circle movement. 
6. After you have completed the spiral, place a toothpick in the middle and draw a straight line out. 
7. Repeat a few times (like cutting a cake into pieces) to achieve a spiderweb look.

How to make Chocolate Spiders:

1. Melt the chocolate in a melting pot. Transfer it into a piping bag or pot with a small nozzle attached. Start drawing little spiders onto a piece of baking parchment. Shape a round body, little head and thin spider legs starting from the body and drawing the piping bag out.
2. Use the 100’s and 1000’s sprinkles for the spider eyes. Chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes and place them onto the spiderweb cupcakes.