Pull Apart Graveyard Cupcakes (Printable)
Chocolate cupcakes with frosting, cookie dirt, and tombstone decorations for a spooky Halloween treat.
# What You Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - ½ cup whole milk
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 tsp baking powder
07 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
08 - ¼ tsp salt
→ Chocolate Frosting
09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
11 - ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
12 - 2-3 tbsp milk
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
→ Decoration
15 - 6-8 chocolate sandwich cookies
16 - 6-8 rectangular cookies or biscuits
17 - Black, white, and green gel icing pens
18 - Gummy worms, candy pumpkins, or Halloween themed candies (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half of the dry mixture to the wet, then add milk, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients until just combined.
03 - Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.
04 - Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, mixing slowly. Add vanilla and milk, beating until smooth and spreadable.
05 - Arrange cooled cupcakes close together on a serving tray in a rectangle or mound. Generously spread chocolate frosting over all cupcakes, creating a smooth surface.
06 - Crush chocolate sandwich cookies and sprinkle over the frosting for dirt. Write RIP and spooky messages on rectangular cookies with gel icing pens to make tombstones. Press into the cupcakes. Decorate with gummy worms, candy pumpkins, or any spooky candy. Chill briefly before serving to set decorations.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Everyone gets their own cupcake but it looks like an impressive graveyard scene
- The decorating part is half the fun and perfect for getting kids involved
02 -
- Cupcakes must be completely cool before frosting or the frosting will melt and slide off
- Arrange cupcakes as close together as possible so the graveyard looks like one continuous cake
03 -
- Use a small offset spatula to smooth frosting between cupcakes for a seamless look
- If frosting is too stiff, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until spreadable