Pull Apart Graveyard Cupcakes (Printable)

Chocolate cupcakes topped with cookie dirt and tombstone cookies for a creepy Halloween dessert.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - ½ cup whole milk
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Chocolate Frosting

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
11 - ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
12 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt

→ Decoration

15 - 6-8 chocolate sandwich cookies
16 - 6-8 rectangular cookies or biscuits
17 - Black, white, and green gel icing pens
18 - Gummy worms, candy pumpkins, or Halloween themed candies (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half of dry mixture to wet, then milk, then remaining dry ingredients until just combined.
03 - Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
04 - Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, mixing slowly. Add vanilla and milk, beating until smooth and spreadable.
05 - Arrange cooled cupcakes close together on serving tray in rectangle or mound. Generously spread chocolate frosting over all cupcakes, creating smooth surface.
06 - Crush chocolate sandwich cookies and sprinkle over frosting for dirt. Write RIP and spooky messages on rectangular cookies with gel icing pens to make tombstones. Press into cupcakes. Decorate with gummy worms, candy pumpkins, or Halloween candy.
07 - Chill briefly before serving to set decorations.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They look impressively elaborate but actually come together faster than you think
  • The decorating part becomes a party activity that guests of all ages want to join
02 -
  • The cupcakes must be completely cool before frosting or it will melt and slide off
  • Crush cookies in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin to contain the mess
  • Write tombstone messages before pressing them into the cupcakes, it's much easier
03 -
  • Mix a pinch of espresso powder into the frosting to make the chocolate flavor pop
  • Use a small offset spatula to smooth the frosting between cupcakes for the most realistic graveyard effect

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