Halloween Pumpkin Chocolate Spiderweb Cupcakes

Pumpkin Double Chocolate Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, espresso powder, nutmeg, ginger, all spice, and salt and whisk to evenly combine.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin, greek yogurt, white vinegar, and vanilla extract and stir together until smooth.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well-combined. Add the whole egg and egg yolk one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Wipe down the bowl and beater as needed.
5. With the mixer on its lowest speed, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in thirds, alternating between each and mixing each addition in just until partially incorporated. Once everything has been added, stop the mixer and add the chocolate chips. Use a flexible spatula to fold all of the ingredients together JUST until evenly combined.
6. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin, dividing evenly between each muffin cup; each should be about ¾ full – don’t overfill!* Smooth out the tops gently if needed. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean or the tops gently spring back to the touch. Cool cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.** If not frosting immediately, store in an airtight container until ready to frost. Meanwhile, make chocolate spiderwebs.

Chocolate Spiderwebs:

1. Fit a piping bag with a small round tip (I used Wilton #2). Lay out a large sheet of parchment paper, on a tray for easy moving if desired. If you’d like to draw out your spider webs on the parchment first as a guide, do so with a pen or pencil and then flip the parchment over so you can pipe on the clean side. You can also download and print a guide online if you’re not comfortable with drawing your own webs.
2. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for 30-second increments, stirring between each increment, until smoothly melted. Alternatively, temper chocolate.
3. Transfer chocolate to the prepared piping bag and pipe spider webs on the parchment paper.*** Allow to sit at room temperature until fully set, or transfer to the refrigerator to set faster. Once set, carefully peel back parchment to release chocolate webs.

Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until light, creamy, and smooth. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, ginger, salt, and about ⅓ of the confectioner’s sugar. Mix in, starting on low speed and increasing speed as the confectioner’s sugar starts incorporating and the frosting begins to look creamy. Continue adding the remaining confectioner’s sugar in the same manner until it has all been added, wiping down the bowl and beater as needed.
2. Once all sugar has been incorporated, increase mixer speed and beat frosting until smooth. Taste and add more salt or spices if desired. Add icing color and beat in until desired color is achieved. Transfer frosting to a piping bat fitted with your tip of choice (I used Ateco #827) and frost cooled cupcakes.
3. Top each frosted cupcake with a chocolate spiderweb.
4. Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and will keep well for at least a few days, and up to about a week.