Witch’s Cauldron Chocolate Cupcakes with Orange “Scream” Filling

This year I’m super excited for Halloween, how about you?! Now that we have a little one I’ve been pinning all sorts of ideas to use in the future. Since he’s still too tiny to appreciate most of the decorations, treats and festivities we’ve been making a few for ourselves and to share with others!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays to bake themed treats for. I love all of the fun candies, cookies and flavored drinks that are out there- they make it so fun! Last year I was inspired by the stash of mason jars I had in our basement, this year it was a fun little stand that I found at a craft store… I thought it would be perfect for cupcakes. Speaking of cupcakes, I wanted to share one of my favorite chocolate cupcake recipes with you all. It’s been forever since I’ve made them, they’re just way too good not to bring them out of the archives! This time I got a little creative and used TruMoo to put a yummy twist on them!

I swapped out some the water and buttermilk for TruMoo Chocolate Milk. It made them extra rich and chocolatey, mmm! I also used some in the chocolate frosting too! And because I’m totally in love with their Orange Scream Milk I stuffed these cupcakes with homemade orange “scream” (aka orange pastry cream). Because the orange chocolate combo is to die for! After baking and decorating these witch’s cauldron cupcakes we served them up with chilled glasses of both flavors of milk. Our little one even snuck a sip of each and loved them! I know in the future I’ll feel good about giving him TruMoo milk because one 8-oz serving has same amount of calcium as five cups of broccoli and the same amount of potassium as a small banana! Plus, TruMoo is fresh from a trusted dairy and doesn’t contain any high fructose corn syrup or artificial growth hormones- love that!

I can’t wait to start using both the Orange Scream TruMoo and the Chocolate TruMoo to all sorts of goodies. I’m thinking orange creamsicle cupcakes would be amazing along with some homemade fudgsicles and pudding! Yum!!!

Can’t get enough of TruMoo? Follow TruMoo on Pinterest for more delicious recipes and enter the Facebook contest for a chance to win weekly cash prizes through October 31! You can also enter the TruMoo Sweepstakes for a chance to win a family trip for four!

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Witch's Cauldron Chocolate Cupcakes

 

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Prep time

40 mins

Cook time

18 mins

Total time

58 mins

 

Moist and chocolatey witch's cauldron cupcakes topped with chocolate and vanilla frosting. Secretly stuffed with a homemade orange "scream" filling!

Author: Natalie

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

• ¾ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ c. all-purpose flour
• 1½ c. granulated sugar
• 1½ tsp. baking soda
• ¾ tsp. baking powder
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c. TruMoo chocolate milk
• ½ c. buttermilk
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 
  
• Orange Pastry Cream:
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• ½ c. TruMoo Orange Scream milk
• 8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ c. granulated sugar
• 
  
• Chocolate frosting:
• ½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1¾ c. powdered sugar
• ¼ c. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 1.5 - 2 tbsp. TruMoo chocolate milk
• 
  
• Vanilla frosting:
• 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 - 4½ c. powdered sugar
• ¼ c. whole milk or cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. salt
• Green food coloring
• 
  
• Garnishes:
• black licorice
• gummy worms
• candy eyes
• candy bones
• green sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake pans with 18 liners, set aside.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk or sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, chocolate milk, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla, whisk together until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
4. Divide batter evenly among cups, filling ⅔ of the way full. Place in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched and a cake tester comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake!
5. Remove from oven, allow them to sit for 3-4 minutes in the pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
6. Meanwhile, to prepare the cream filling- in a small saucepan set over medium heat, cook the flour and milk until a thick paste forms. Stir constantly! Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl and press a piece of plastic over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool completely. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl or a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add cooled flour/milk mixture and continue to beat for 5 minutes on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
7. To prepare the chocolate frosting- in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Turn mixing speed off, add the salt and the vanilla extract. Turn mixing speed on to low, then gradually add the powdered sugar and cocoa. Beat for 2 minutes, then turn to low and add the chocolate milk. Turn the speed up and beat for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
8. To prepare the vanilla frosting- in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Turn mixing speed off, add the salt, vanilla extract and food coloring. Turn mixing speed on to low, then gradually add the powdered sugar.. Beat for 2 minutes, then turn to low and add the whole milk or cream. Turn the speed up and beat for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
9. To assemble the cupcakes, (core if desired and pipe the pastry cream into the centers). Pipe a border of chocolate frosting around the top edges of the cupcakes. Then fill in the centers with the remaining green frosting. I would suggest decorating each individual cupcake directly after piping the centers in- that way your frosting doesn't set or harden. Store covered cupcakes at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Notes

-Eyes, bones and bubble sprinkles are all Wilton (I found them at Jo-Ann crafts)
-You can always use a boxed chocolate mix, just swap out the water for chocolate milk!
-The pastry cream is totally optional (you can omit it), as is the chocolate frosting. You can use vanilla frosting (dyed black) for the edge of the cauldron.


Recipe source: Life Made Simple

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