Halloween Spider Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

What you need:

For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 egg

For the Decorations:

• Chocolate frosting (store-bought or homemade)
• Black licorice (for spider legs)
• Candy eyes
• Chocolate sprinkles (optional, for extra texture)

What to do:

1. Preheat the Oven – Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This will be your dry mix.

3. Add Wet Ingredients – Add the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Beat in the egg as well. Mix until everything is combined and smooth.

4. Add Boiling Water – Slowly pour in the boiling water while mixing the batter. It will make the mixture a little runny, but that’s okay! This step ensures your cupcakes turn out moist and fluffy.

5. Bake the Cupcakes – Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about halfway. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once done, let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating.

6. Frost and Decorate – Once your cupcakes are cool, frost them generously with chocolate frosting. Now comes the fun part—making them look like spiders!
- Spider Legs: Cut the black licorice into 1-2 inch pieces to form the spider legs. Stick 3 pieces into each side of the cupcake.
- Spider Eyes: Place candy eyes on top of the frosting to give your spider a cute (or spooky!) face.
- Optional: For an extra touch, sprinkle some chocolate sprinkles over the frosting for added texture, like a furry spider.