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Ghosts on a black tray with the fondant floating ghosts placed on the buttercream.
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Chocolate Ghost Cupcakes
These Halloween Fondant Floating Ghost Cupcakes with chocolate base and coffee-flavored buttercream are absolutely delicious and amazing!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: halloween cupcakes, halloween ghost cupcakes
Servings: 12 dozen
Author: Jackie
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour
  • ½ cups Cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup whole milk buttermilk will also work
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoon hot water
  • 2 tablespoon espresso or instant coffee powder
FROSTING:
  • 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened
  • 2 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
  • T tablespoon warm water
  • 2 tablespoons Instant coffee / Espresso
FONDANT GHOSTS:
  • 1 pound White Fondant
  • 12 Marshmallows regular sized
  • Edible black gel food color pen
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line your baking tray with cupcake liners.
  2. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar and stir it well.
  3. Next, add oil, milk, vanilla extract, and egg to the flour directly and mix well.
  4. Lastly, add the hot coffee in intervals and keep mixing until you get a smooth consistency.
  5. Scoop out the batter using an ice cream scoop, and fill your liners ¾ of the way full.
  6. Bake for 22-25 min or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the baking tray before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For Frosting and Assembling:
  1. In a bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the butter until it's light and creamy. Add powdered sugar (in batches) along with the coffee dissolved in tablespoon of warm water and beat until you get a smooth and fluffy consistency (5-6 min).
  2. Frost your cupcake with the frosting; creating a tower of icing (I am using a large open star tip nozzle for frosting and for this).
  3. Carefully place one whole marshmallow on top of the frosting in the center.
  4. Dust your working area with some cornstarch and knead your fondant until soft. Roll out fondant to about ¼ inch thickness and cut out 4 inch round circles from it using a cookie or pastry cutter so that it can cover the marshmallow.
  5. Stretch the fondant with your hands, if needed, gently place it on top of the marshmallow and make pleats to shape it like a ghost sheet. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.
  6. Dip the back of a toothpick in black gel food color and draw eyes and a mouth (you can also use a black edible marker).
  7. Serve immediately and enjoy! Happy Halloween!!
Recipe Notes

HALLOWEEN GHOST CUPCAKES stay fresh for 2-3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also store the extra frosting in the fridge for 4-5 days; allow it to come to room temperature before using it again. (Don’t decorate with ghost toppers if you’re planning on storing these cupcakes).

Use flavorless oils such as canola oil in cupcakes for the best results.
You can make the cupcakes or use store-bought ones or you can even use a mix.
You can re-roll the fondant scraps and use them.
You can add 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the frosting for an added flavor.