Halloween Black Cocoa Cupcakes

Photo and Recipe Credit @sherisilver https://sherisilver.com/

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon OliveNation Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons OliveNation Black Cocoa 10/12

1/4 cup hot coffee (or hot water)

For the Frosting:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 – 3 tablespoons milk or cream

Orange, green and purple gel food coloring

OliveNation Halloween Mix Mini Candy Quins

Method

Make the cupcakes:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees; line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. In a large bowl whisk the eggs to blend. Add the sugar and whisk. Add the vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk. Add the dry ingredients and whisk till smooth. Add the coffee and whisk. Pour the batter evenly into your lined muffin cups. Bake till a toothpick comes out clean, 15 – 20 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the frosting:

Beat the butter in a large bowl till light and fluffy. Add the confectioner’s sugar and beat till well combined. Add the milk, a teaspoon at a time, till a stiff yet pipeable consistency is achieved. Divide the frosting between 3 bowls. Tint the frostings using the orange, green and purple food colorings. Place a plain or fluted piping tip into a pastry bag. On a clean piece of plastic wrap, use a spoon or rubber spatula to spread the frosting in 3 rows. Gently fold up the plastic wrap into a tube and snip an opening on one end. Place the tube, cut side down, into your prepared pastry bag. Pipe the frosting onto a plate or piece of wax paper until all 3 colors are visible, then pipe swirls atop each cupcake. Finish with the candy quins and serve.