These Halloween Spider Web Cupcakes are an easy spooky treat everyone will love! The spider webs are made from melted marshmallow and topped onto a double chocolate cake! Perfect served with chocolate spiders for that Halloween recipe finishing touch.
Recipe Features
- Festive and Fun: These cupcakes are the perfect Halloween dessert recipe. Festive and fun while still delicious!
- Fun Family Activity: Making the spider webs is the perfect family activity. You cannot mess these up.
- Make-Ahead Recipe: The cupcakes can be made up to 2 days in advance. Add the marshmallow just before serving.
The truth is, we have been ready for Halloween since the beginning of September. Those first few days of cooler weather and changing leaves scream for something spooky. Out of all of the holidays, this one has to be in my top 2 for the most fun. Especially with so many Halloween dessert ideas to pick from!
I mark these spider web cakes in the “easy” category. It uses a cake mix base with some special add-in ingredients that will send your halloween cupcakes to another level. A true treat that takes minimal effort? Sign me up!
What You Need For Spider Web Halloween Cupcakes:
I mentioned above that these are the easiest treat, and I’m not lying. You need minimal ingredients and all of the magic starts with a cake mix! Here’s a quick breakdown of what you will need for this ultimate chocolate cake mix hack:
- Chocolate Cake Mix- I always reach for the double chocolate or chocolate fudge cake mixes.
- Instant Chocolate Pudding- The powder mix, NOT fully made pudding.
- Sour Cream- Full fat works best, but low fat works in a pinch.
- Oil- I used coconut oil this time around but regular vegetable or canola oil will be just as delicious.
- Eggs- Large eggs
- Coffee or water- Coffee actually enhances the chocolate flavor and does not add any “coffee” taste. Give it a try!
- Chocolate Frosting- Canned or homemade.
- Marshmallows
How to Make Canned Frosting Taste Better:
I used my homemade chocolate frosting from the best ever chocolate cake recipe. It combines chocolate ganache INTO the frosting for the most sinfully delicious treat. BUT you can always use store bought frosting. Here’s my secret to making store bought frosting taste better:
- Add 1 can of frosting, a pinch of salt, and 4 tablespoons heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Beat with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes, or until the frosting is lighter and fluffy.
You can also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract if you still notice a more chemically taste or additional cream if your frosting is still extra thick.
How to Decorate Spider Web Cupcakes with Marshmallow:
Once you have the cupcakes cooled and frosted it’s time to get sticky! This is the super fun part about these easy spider web cupcakes. You cannot mess this up. The more chaotic the design the more realistic they are going to look. Here is the step by step you need to get this spooky, and yet delicious, cupcake design:
- Bake and frost the cupcakes as directed. Prep a work surface with a plate or cutting board to help reduce the mess while decorating.
- Place the marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl.
- Heat for 30 seconds.
- Stir until the marshmallows are cool enough to handle, but not too hard.
- Use fingers from both hands to stretch a small bit of marshmallow into stringy strands.
- Gently cover the top of each cupcake with a strand, securing the edges to the cupcake liners if necessary.
- Continue to pull and stretch marshmallow strings until all cupcakes are covered, adding up to 2 marshmallow webs to cupcakes if necessary.
Tip: There is no right or wrong way for a spider web to look. Just start wrapping and the more you try the better your webs will start to come together.
Tips and FAQs:
- Marshmallow is super sticky but cleans surprisingly easily. Wash all utensils and bowls with a mild dish soap and warm water. It will come right out.
- Want a darker frosting? Opt for a deep dark cocoa powder or black food coloring.
- Use a scoop or measuring cup while pouring your batter for even cupcake sizes.
- In a time pinch? Buy premade cupcakes from the bakery and decorate them using this method!
- Top the cupcakes with little toy spiders for a fun finish.
This recipe is pretty fool proof and tastes almost bakery worthy. However, if you want more to add to the mix to give it a slightly less processed flavor try one of these tips:
– Use milk instead of water
– Try buttermilk if you have it on hand
– Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract
– Fill the cupcakes with chocolate ganache
– Add a handful of chocolate chips
I always suggest using a Wilton 1M tip for that classic frosted cupcake look. You can find this at most hobby stores like Michaels or Hobby Lobby.
Homemade cupcakes will last up to 2 days stored covered at room temperature. You can also freeze cupcakes for up to 3 months.
More Halloween Treats:
- Death By Chocolate Cupcakes
- Halloween Ghost Cupcakes
- Butterscotch Butterbeer Cupcakes
- Easy Reese’s Bat Cupcakes
- 2-Ingredient Butterbeer Fudge
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Witches Brew
- Pumpkin Truffles
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Granola
- Spider Candy Cookies
Still hungry? Follow One Sweet Appetite on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!
Marshmallow Spider Web Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 15.25 ounce package chocolate cake mix
- 1 3.4 ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup warm coffee
- Chocolate frosting- canned or homemade
To Decorate:
- 1 cup Marshmallows
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, and coffee. Mix for 2 minutes, or until well combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared muffin tins, roughly 1/4 cup per cupcake.
- Bake 15-18 minutes or until the top of the cakes bounce back or a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove immediately from the tins and allow to cool completely before frosting.
To Decorate:
- Bake and frost the cupcakes as directed. Prep a work surface with a plate or cutting board to help reduce the mess while decorating.
- Place the marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl.
- Heat for 30 seconds.
- Stir until the marshmallows are cool enough to handle, but not too hard.
- Use fingers from both hands to stretch a small bit of marshmallow into stringy strands.
- Gently cover the top of each cupcake with a strand, securing the edges to the cupcake liners if necessary.
- Continue to pull and stretch marshmallow strings until all cupcakes are covered, adding up to 2 marshmallow webs to cupcakes if necessary.
Notes
Equipment
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