October 4, 2023
Review RecipeBat Cupcakes
Table of Contents
These cute bat cupcakes would be an adorably frightful addition to your fun Halloween festivities. Made with moist cake, and topped with a spooky bat decoration, these critters will be a hit.
Bat Cupcakes Ingredients
You’ll need:
For the Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 box of chocolate cake mix
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup hot water or heated heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4-ounce semi-sweet baking bar, melted and cooled
For the Decorations
- 1 package of regular Oreos (you will not need the full package, but it’s best to have extras in case of breakage)
- 1 package of mini Oreo cookies
- 20 pairs of candy eyeballs
PRO TIP:
It is best to have an abundance of Oreo cookies as they sometimes break when cutting them into two pieces.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
EYES: The tiny size of candy eyeballs looks best for the bats. However, larger eyeballs can be fun to add quirky character.
CAKE MIX: Use any chocolate cake recipe and any chocolate frosting recipe that you’d like. For a swirled frosting like we’ve used here, you will need a medium stiffness in the frosting consistency.
FOOD COLORING: You could add black food coloring to the frosting for extra Halloween fun.
How To Make This Bat Cupcakes Recipe
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line standard-size muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake ingredients: cake mix, butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then on medium-high speed for two additional minutes.
STEP THREE: Fill the cupcake liners about halfway full.
STEP FOUR: Bake for 15 minutes and then cool completely.
PRO TIP:
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cupcakes as the suggested baking time approaches.
STEP FIVE: Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Chop the chocolate baking bar into small pieces. Use a double boiler or 30-second increments in the microwave to melt the chocolate. Stir until fully melted and set it aside to cool. The chocolate should not cool long enough to re-harden, just cool down so that it is not hot to the touch.
STEP SIX: Use a whisk to stir together the cocoa powder and hot water (or hot cream) until smooth and shiny.
STEP SEVEN: In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter, cooled chocolate bar, cocoa powder mixture, and powdered sugar. Beat until fully combined and fluffy.
STEP EIGHT: Fill a piping bag with the prepared frosting and fit with piping tip #1M (or an open star piping tip). Pipe swirls of frosting on top of the cupcakes.
STEP NINE: To make a bat topper, cut an Oreo cookie in half – a swift, strong chop with a sharp knife works best for a clean cut.
PRO TIP:
A little crumbling adds character to the bat wings, so don’t worry too much about having perfect halves.
STEP TEN: Separate the cookie from the cream filling.
STEP ELEVEN: Place two Oreo cookie halves side by side to form the “wings” of the bat.
STEP TWELVE: Twist one half from a mini Oreo. Using the half that still has the cream filling on it, press the mini Oreo over the center point where the “bat wings” meet. The cream filling will serve as the glue to hold the bat together.
STEP THIRTEEN: Use a toothpick or small piping tip to dab two dots of frosting on the mini Oreo “bat face.”
STEP FOURTEEN: Place two candy eyes on the dots of frosting.
STEP FIFTEEN: Carefully place each assembled bat onto the top of each cupcake.
How To Serve
Easy Halloween bat cupcakes would make a fun addition to any Halloween party for kids or grown-ups alike. Our pumpkin dip or mini pumpkin pies would be tasty recipes to add to your party menu as well.
For more easy recipes to celebrate this scary holiday, our Halloween sugar cookies and gingerbread men sugar cookies in ghost costumes would both be perfect.
MORE CUPCAKE RECIPES
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store the homemade cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze these sweet treats for up to 3 months.
These delicious chocolate cupcakes are so cute and so easy to make with a boxed cake mix as a base. With an edible bat topper, they add plenty of spooky fun to your Halloween celebrations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
These easy cupcakes will freeze well in an airtight container for up to three months.
To ensure your cupcakes are moist, make sure not to overbake them. Storing them in an airtight container will also ensure they maintain their moisture.
To avoid the cupcake sticking to your cupcake liner, you can spray the inside of your liner with baking spray or purchase non-stick liners. These usually are specifically labeled as non-stick.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Coconut Cupcakes
- Brownie Cupcakes
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Easter Bunny Cake
- Cookie Monster Cupcakes
- American Flag Cake
- Soda Cake
- 7Up Cake
- Homemade Dog Birthday Cake
- Coca Cola Cake
- Tornado Cake
- Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
- Boston Cream Cupcakes
- Lemon Cupcakes
- Blueberry Cupcakes
Bat Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup hot water or heated heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces semi-sweet baking bar, melted and cooled
Decorations
- 1 package regular Oreos (you will not need the full package, but it’s best to have extras in case of breakage)
- 1 package mini Oreo cookies
- 20 pairs candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line standard-size muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake ingredients: cake mix, butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then on medium-high speed for two additional minutes.
- Fill the cupcake liners about halfway full.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then cool completely.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Chop the chocolate baking bar into small pieces. Use a double boiler or 30-second increments in the microwave to melt the chocolate. Stir until fully melted and set it aside to cool. The chocolate should not cool long enough to re-harden, just cool down so that it is not hot to the touch.
- Use a whisk to stir together the cocoa powder and hot water (or hot cream) until smooth and shiny.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter, cooled chocolate bar, cocoa powder mixture, and powdered sugar. Beat until fully combined and fluffy.
- Fill a piping bag with the prepared frosting and fit with piping tip #1M (or an open star piping tip). Pipe swirls of frosting on top of the cupcakes.
- To make a bat topper, cut an Oreo cookie in half – a swift, strong chop with a sharp knife works best for a clean cut.
- Separate the cookie from the cream filling.
- Place two Oreo cookie halves side by side to form the “wings” of the bat.
- Twist one half from a mini Oreo. Using the half that still has the cream filling on it, press the mini Oreo over the center point where the “bat wings” meet. The cream filling will serve as the glue to hold the bat together.
- Use a toothpick or small piping tip to dab two dots of frosting on the mini Oreo “bat face.”
- Place two candy eyes on the dots of frosting.
- Carefully place each assembled bat onto the top of each cupcake.
Notes
- It is best to have an abundance of Oreo cookies as they sometimes break when cutting them into two pieces.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your cupcakes as the suggested baking time approaches.
- A little crumbling adds character to the bat wings, so don’t worry too much about having perfect halves.