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These spider web cupcakes are soft, chocolatey, and topped with black glaze, white chocolate webs, and creepy gummy spiders. They make a fun Halloween dessert for parties, and the simple spider-web decorating technique is great to make with kids.
Halloween is one of my favorite times of year for baking because you can take something as simple as a chocolate cupcake and turn it into a really fun party treat. These spider web cupcakes look impressive on a Halloween dessert table, but the decoration is much easier than it looks.
The cupcakes themselves have a soft chocolate sponge made with cocoa powder and warm coffee. Once they have completely cooled, each one is covered with black glaze before circles of melted white chocolate are added and dragged outward with a toothpick to create the web.
Finish each cupcake with a gummy spider and you have an easy Halloween bake that looks suitably spooky without needing complicated piping or decorating skills.
Why You'll Love These Spider Web Cupcakes
There is a lot to love about this Halloween cupcake recipe:
- Easy spider web decoration: The web is made with melted white chocolate and a toothpick, so you don't need advanced cake-decorating skills.
- Perfect for Halloween parties: The black glaze, white chocolate webs, and gummy spiders make these cupcakes an instant Halloween centerpiece.
- Fun to decorate with kids: Once the cupcakes are cool, creating the webs and adding the gummy spiders is a fun part of the recipe to share.
- Makes 12 cupcakes: One batch gives you a full dozen, making them ideal for a Halloween dessert table.
- Ready in 45 minutes: The recipe has 25 minutes of prep time and a 20-minute bake time.
What You'll Need
The chocolate cupcake batter uses all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, warm coffee, white distilled vinegar, olive oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
For the decoration, you'll need powdered sugar, black food coloring, water, white chocolate, and gummy spiders.
Black Food Coloring
For a dark black glaze, gel food coloring is particularly useful because you can build up the color without adding as much extra liquid. If you're using liquid food coloring, add it gradually, as too much can quickly make the glaze thinner.
Warm Coffee
The coffee used in the cupcake batter should be warm rather than hot. Measure it before adding it to the wet ingredients along with the vinegar, olive oil, vanilla, and egg.
White Chocolate
The melted white chocolate creates the actual spider-web design. Melt it gently in the microwave in short intervals, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth and fully melted.
How to Make Spider Web Cupcakes
These cupcakes are made in three simple stages: bake the chocolate cupcakes, prepare the black glaze and melted white chocolate, then create the spider-web design.
Make the Chocolate Cupcakes
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, then whisk them together just until combined. The batter will be fairly thin, which is normal.
Divide the batter between 12 cupcake liners and bake at 340°F (170°C) for 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating.
Make the Black Glaze
Mix powdered sugar with black food coloring and warm water until you have a thick glaze that will coat the top of the cupcakes.
Add any extra water one drop at a time-the consistency can change quickly.
Create the Spider Webs
Cover each cooled cupcake with black glaze, then use melted white chocolate to draw circles across the top.
Drag a toothpick from the center of the circles toward the outside edge several times to create the spider-web pattern, then finish each cupcake with a gummy spider.
Tips for the Best Spider Web Cupcakes
Don't overmix the batter. Stop whisking as soon as the wet and dry ingredients are combined.
Cool the cupcakes completely. Warm cupcakes can make the glaze and white chocolate run.
Adjust the glaze slowly. Add extra water one drop at a time.
Melt the white chocolate gently. Microwave it in short intervals, stirring every 30 seconds.
Drag outward to make the web. Start near the center and pull the toothpick toward the edge for the clearest spider-web pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a spider web pattern on cupcakes?
Cover the top of each cooled cupcake with black glaze, then use melted white chocolate to make circles across the surface. Drag a toothpick from the smallest inner circle toward the outside edge several times to turn the circles into a spider-web pattern.
What food coloring is best for black cupcake glaze?
Gel food coloring works particularly well because it gives concentrated color without adding as much extra liquid to the glaze. If you're using liquid food coloring, add it gradually so the icing doesn't become too thin.
How do I know when the chocolate cupcakes are done?
Insert a toothpick into the center of one cupcake after 20 minutes of baking. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are ready; if wet batter sticks to it, bake them for a few more minutes.
Do the cupcakes need to cool before decorating?
Yes. Leave them in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack, then allow them to cool completely before adding the black glaze and white chocolate webs.
How many spider web cupcakes does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 12 spider web cupcakes. Each cupcake is finished with black glaze, a white chocolate web, and one gummy spider.
Spider Web Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Fine-mesh sieve or sifter
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Stand Mixer optional
- Ice cream scoop optional
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour plain flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 cup coffee warm but not hot
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 medium egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the black glaze icing
- 1⅞ cups powdered icing sugar
- 2-3 drops black food coloring
- 1 tablespoon water warm
For the spider web
- 4½ oz white chocolate
- 12 gummy spiders candy
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set out two mixing bowls, one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet ingredients.
- In one bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well, breaking up any large lumps of cocoa powder.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- In the second bowl, whisk together the warm coffee, white distilled vinegar, olive oil, vanilla extract, and egg until combined.1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar, 1 cup coffee, ⅓ cup olive oil, 1 medium egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. The batter will be fairly thin; don't overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. An ice cream scoop works well for even portions.
- Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Test one cupcake by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. If wet batter remains on the toothpick, bake for a few more minutes and check again.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before decorating.
Make the Black Glaze and White Chocolate
- Sift the powdered sugar into a mixing bowl and add the black food coloring. Gradually stir in the warm water until the glaze is thick but fluid enough to coat the back of a teaspoon. If needed, add a little more water one drop at a time until you reach the right consistency.1⅞ cups powdered icing sugar, 2-3 drops black food coloring, 1 tablespoon water
- Place the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each interval, until completely melted and smooth.4½ oz white chocolate
Decorate the Spider Web Cupcakes
- Spoon about 1 teaspoon of black glaze over each completely cooled cupcake, spreading it so the top is covered.
- Dip a toothpick into the melted white chocolate and make circles across the black glaze, beginning near the center of the cupcake and working toward the outside edge.
- Starting at the smallest inner circle, drag the toothpick outward through the white chocolate circles to the edge of the cupcake. Repeat around the cupcake to create a spiderweb pattern.12 gummy spiders
- Place one gummy spider on each finished web and serve.
Video
Notes
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating. If they are still warm, the glaze and white chocolate can soften and run.
- Add any extra water to the black glaze one drop at a time, as the consistency can change quickly.
- Gel black food coloring is useful when you want a deep color without adding too much extra liquid.
- Don't overmix the cupcake batter once the wet and dry ingredients have been combined.
- Melt the white chocolate gradually, stirring every 30 seconds to prevent overheating.
Nutrition
More Halloween Baking Ideas
Halloween is the perfect excuse to have a little fun with desserts. Alongside these spider web cupcakes, you can add other spooky treats such as Toxic Fizz, Witches Brew Punch, or a Spider Web Celebration Cake to create a full Halloween party spread.
Whether you're baking for a Halloween party or simply making something fun with the family, these creepy little cupcakes are an easy way to add something spooky to the dessert table.
