Chocolate Spiderweb Cupcakes with Cherry Filling
These chocolate spiderweb cupcakes with cherry filling are such a fun addition to any Halloween party! Rich dark chocolate cupcakes are filled with a sweet cherry jam filling, topped with vanilla frosting, and decorated with easy chocolate spiderwebs. Totally dairy free, egg free, nut free, and easily make gluten free!
These cupcakes are a really easy mix of things like my chocolate cupcakes and vanilla frosting, with the added flavors of a cherry filling and the cute little chocolate spiderwebs on top. They come together to make a cute Halloween dessert that doesn’t require a lot of fuss.
In the mood for more Halloween treats? Check out my chocolate sugar Halloween cookies or my Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes with Pumpkin Frosting!
Ingredients
For the full list of ingredients, complete with recipe quantities, please see the recipe card below.
- Dark Cocoa Powder: I love to use dark cocoa powder in these cupcakes, but any kind of cocoa powder will work, from natural unprocessed to Dutch processed.
- Vanilla Frosting: My simple vegan vanilla frosting is the perfect backdrop for these chocolate spiderwebs!
- Chocolate Spiderwebs: To make these, I simply melted a quarter cup of my favorite chocolate chips.
Substitutions
Need to make these gluten free? You can! Use your favorite gluten free flour blend – I always use King Arthur Measure for Measure and get great results. These cupcakes have been made gluten free dozens and dozens of times and are one of my most trusty gluten free and vegan recipes.
Variations
- While I used vanilla frosting in the photos to make the spiderwebs stand out, you can use any frosting you like. A rich chocolate or a pumpkin buttercream (like on these cupcakes here) would make a spooky cupcake!
- Cherry jam is my favorite but you can also use raspberry jam or even more chocolate ganache on the middles for these cupcakes.
Instructions
Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.
Making these cupcakes is done in 4 steps.
- Make the cupcakes. In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients, before pouring all the dry ingredients in. Whisk together until mostly smooth. Then pour into a lined cupcake pan. Bake for 23 minutes until they are done. Let them cool.
- Make the spiderwebs. While the cupcakes are cooling, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring each time, or in a double boiler on the stove. Let cool for a minute before transferring to a piping bag. Pipe spiderwebs onto a sheet of parchment paper and place them in the freezer to harden.
- Make the Frosting. In a large mixing bowl, whip together the softened vegan butter with powdered sugar, vanilla, and a dash of salt.
- Assemble. Cut out a small hole in the top of the cupcake and fill with cherry jam. Pipe the frosting on top, and decorate with the spider web. And you’re done!
How to Store
Countertop: Since they are frosted with vegan buttercream, I don’t recommend keeping these cupcakes at room temperature for more than 2 hours after decorating. Vegan buttercream starts to melt after that.
Fridge: For best results, keep the decorated cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: You can also store fully baked and undecorated or fully baked and decorated cupcakes in the freezer in a freezer safe container for up to 1 month.
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Equipment
- muffin tray
- Mixing bowls and spoons
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- cupcake liners
- Piping bag and tips
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 cup plant based milk soymilk recommended
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/4 cup applesauce unsweetened
- 2 tablespoons flaxseeds
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cherry jam
Frosting
- 1/2 cup plant based butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips for spiderwebs
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C and line a cupcake tray with paper liners. Set this aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the dairy free milk and apple cider vinegar to make a vegan buttermilk. Set this aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients of flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients of dairy free milk, sugar, vanilla, applesauce, oil, and flaxseeds.
- Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently whisk them together until a batter forms. Transfer the batter to the cupcake liners, filling the liners about ⅔ to ¾ of the way full. You should get 12 cupcakes.
- Bake. Bake the cupcakes uncovered for 22-24 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake should come out clean or with a crumb or two on the toothpick.
- Cool. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes in the hot cupcake tray. After 10 minutes, transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack until they are fully cooled.
- Make the buttercream frosting. Once the cupcakes are cooled, begin the frosting. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mix the room temperature vegan butter until creamy. Add in the vanilla. Mix again until incorporated. Finally, add the powdered sugar. Continue to mix the frosting on medium to high speed, adding in 1-2 tablespoons of dairy free milk to help combine the sugar into the butter. The buttercream will be light and fluffy when finished.
- Fill the cupcakes. After the cupcakes are cool, remove the center of the cupcakes with a small spoon. Fill with cherry jelly.
- Make the Spiderwebs. In a small bowl in the microwave, melt the chocolate in 10 second intervals, making sure to stir well each time until the chocolate is melted. Transfer to a piping bag and make the spiderwebs. Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment paper for easy removal. Start by drawing a line with the chocolate. Then, make a “”V” shape in the middle. Finally, connect the lines together to make the web. Place these in the freezer until frozen, about 15 minutes.
- Frost and serve. Using a knife or a piping bag with a tip, cover the cupcakes in frosting. Place a spiderweb on top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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