Description
These Vampire Bite Cupcakes are spooky Halloween desserts made with rich chocolate cake, strawberry jam “blood” filling, and vanilla buttercream topped with vampire bite marks. Perfectly festive, gluten-free, and easily dairy-free, they’re a hit at any Halloween party.
Ingredients
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¼ cup chocolate chips
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½ cup unsalted butter (or dairy-free alternative)
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½ cup milk (dairy-free if preferred)
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1 tbsp instant coffee
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½ tsp vanilla extract
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1 large egg
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1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
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1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
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½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch + black cocoa blend)
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½ tsp baking soda
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½ tsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
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2 cups strawberries
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2 tsp cornstarch
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Dash red gel food coloring
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1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or dairy-free)
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½ tsp vanilla extract
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2½ cups icing sugar
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2 tsp milk (dairy-free if preferred)
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Pinch of salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
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Melt chocolate, butter, and milk together, then whisk in coffee, vanilla, egg, and sugar.
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Mix in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until smooth. Fill liners halfway and bake 15–19 minutes. Cool completely.
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Make jam: cook strawberries until soft, simmer with cornstarch until thick, add food coloring, and chill.
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Make buttercream: beat butter until fluffy, add icing sugar gradually, then mix in vanilla, milk, and salt.
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Core cupcakes, fill with jam, and pipe buttercream swirls.
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Use a straw to poke two “fang” holes in frosting and pipe jam to drip like vampire bites.
Notes
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Cool cupcakes fully before decorating.
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Chill jam before piping for best “blood” effect.
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Cupcakes can be frozen without filling or frosting for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American