Graveyard Cupcakes are the perfect treat for Halloween! These spooky death by chocolate cupcakes are topped with tombstone cookies, so they’ll fit right in with all of your decorations. Let the kids help for a fun activity!
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Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes
Graveyard Cupcakes are a delicious and spooky Halloween dessert that’s perfect for festive celebrations. These are super chocolatey, fun to make, and the tombstone cookie decorations make them super festive.
Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate filling and chocolate frosting means these are super rich and delicious. Talk about death by chocolate! And the kids will love helping you decorate these Halloween cupcakes before the party. Fun for all!
Why You’ll Love this Graveyard Cupcakes Recipe:
- Easy: This dessert is pretty easy to whip up. All you do is make the cupcakes, frost them, and add a spooky cookie tombstone.
- Spooky: Graveyard cupcakes are a delicious and fun treat for any Halloween party. They are easy to make, and they are sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike.
- Chocolatey: Rich chocolate cupcakes filled with chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate frosting means these are a dream!
How to Make Graveyard Cupcakes
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Cupcakes: Combine cupcake ingredients according to the recipe instructions, pour the batter into the liners, and bake. Remove them from the tins immediately, then let them cool before frosting.
- Ganache: Make the ganache using the microwave, then let it chill in the refrigerator.
- Frosting: Mix frosting ingredients until it becomes light and fluffy, then put it into a piping bag and set aside until ready to use.
- Assemble: Fill the cupcakes with ganache, frost them, and decorate! More tips for making the tombstone decorations can be found in the recipe card.
Ingredient Notes
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own by measuring ½ cup of milk, removing ½ tablespoon of it, and mixing in ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
- Cocoa powder: I like to use natural cocoa powder in this recipe, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Butter: You can use salted butter in the cupcakes; simply omit the kosher salt. I do not recommend using salted butter in the frosting.
- Brown sugar: You can use granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar.
- Chocolate chips: In the ganache, you can use whatever kind of chocolate chips you like, such as milk or dark. Do NOT use white chocolate chips in place of the Baker’s white chocolate; they will not melt as smoothly.
- Corn syrup: You can omit the corn syrup, but the ganache will not be as shiny.
- Graham crackers: In place of the chocolate-coated graham crackers, you can use Vienna fingers, Biscoff cookies, Milanos, or any other tombstone-shaped cookie!
Graveyard cupcakes are a Halloween-themed riff on death by chocolate cupcakes. They are moist chocolate cupcakes filled with rich chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate buttercream and chocolate-coated graham cracker “tombstones”.
You can use any kind of cocoa powder you like, as long as it is unsweetened! I tend to prefer natural cocoa powder in the cupcakes because the baking soda helps to neutralize some of the acidity and bring out the rich, chocolate flavor. In the frosting, use natural cocoa powder for a more natural taste or use Dutch-process cocoa powder for a smoother taste. For extra-dark frosting, try black cocoa powder!
Overflowing or flat cupcakes could be caused by a variety of things. First, make sure not to fill the cupcake liners more than half full. Make sure the cupcake ingredients are all stirred by hand and not with an electric mixer (you won’t need the electric mixer until you make the frosting). Also, check the expiry date on your leavening ingredients like baking soda and baking powder.
Dry cupcakes can be caused by 2 things. You may have measured the ingredients incorrectly, or you might have overmixed the batter. It’s important to scoop and level your ingredients if you’re not using a scale, and it’s important to have a light hand when mixing the batter.
If your buttercream frosting is too thin, chill it for 10-20 minutes, then whip again. If it is still too thin, add powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If your buttercream is too thick, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
These sinfully delicious death by chocolate cupcakes are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Made with rich chocolate cake and a decadent chocolate frosting, these cupcakes are the ultimate treat. Skip the extra decorations and you can enjoy these any time of year!
For the tombstones on top of the cupcakes, you can use something store-bought, or make your own using chocolate-coated graham crackers (like Keebler Deluxe Grahams).
Make Ahead Instructions
- The cupcakes can be baked ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before frosting.
- The buttercream can be made ahead and stored in a Ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and gently rewhip before using.
- The graham cracker tombstones can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- The fully assembled cupcakes can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover graveyard cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze graveyard cupcakes tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying. Keep in mind that chocolate can develop a white coating when frozen so the chocolate-coated cookies may not look as pretty after freezing.
Substitutions
- Cocoa Powder: I like to use natural cocoa powder in this recipe, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Butter: You can use salted butter in the cupcakes; simply omit the kosher salt. I do not recommend using salted butter in the frosting.
- Sugar: You can use granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own by measuring ½ cup of milk, removing ½ tablespoon of it, and mixing in ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
- Chocolate Chips: In the ganache, you can use whatever kind of chocolate chips you like, such as milk or dark.
- Corn Syrup: You can omit the corn syrup, but the ganache will not be as shiny.
- Graham Crackers: In place of the chocolate-coated graham crackers, you can use Vienna fingers, Biscoff cookies, Milanos, or any other tombstone-shaped cookie!
- White Chocolate: Do not use white chocolate chips in place of the Baker’s white chocolate; they will not melt as smoothly.
Tips for the Best Graveyard Cupcakes
- For slightly melted butter, place cold butter from the fridge into the microwave on high for 40 seconds.
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature; this will help them to combine more easily.
- Do not overmix the cupcake batter; otherwise, you’ll end up with tough cupcakes.
- Don’t overfill the cupcake liners or the cupcakes won’t rise properly.
- It’s important to remove the cupcakes from the hot cupcake tins as soon as they come out of the oven so they don’t continue baking and dry out.
- If you don’t have a piping tip set, place the frosting in a Ziplock bag and cut the corner off to allow you to pipe the frosting.
- Ganache-filled cupcakes shouldn’t be left at room temperature longer than 2 days before refrigerating.
More Halloween Recipes We Love
These Graveyard cupcakes are both spooky and delicious. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. If you decide to make them, be sure to share a picture with us on social media or in the comments below. We can’t wait to see them!
More Cupcake Recipes We Love
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Graveyard Cupcakes
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour 210 grams
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 25 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 170 grams
- 1 cup brown sugar 200 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ½ cup buttermilk 114 grams, room temperature (see note)
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup 33% fat heavy cream 227 grams, room temperature
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 170 grams
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup 20 grams
For the Frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar 360 grams
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, slightly melted (2 sticks)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 50 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
For Decorating
- 1 ounce Baker’s white chocolate 28 grams
- 20 chocolate-coated graham crackers such as Keebler Deluxe Grahams
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12-count cupcake tins with 20 cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Place butter and chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave (on high) for 1 minute, then stir well. If not fully melted, continue to heat and stir well in 30-second intervals until melted. This should be melted but not very hot.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Stir (with a mixing spoon, not electric beaters) the brown sugar into the melted chocolate mixture.1 cup brown sugar
- Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir all the buttermilk into the wet mixture. Stir just until mixed.½ cup buttermilk
- Pour the remaining half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir just until mixed and no white flour remains. Don’t overmix or the cupcakes won’t bake into the correct soft texture.
- Fill the cupcake liners halfway full with cupcake batter. This will be 20 cupcakes. Don’t overfill cupcake liners or the cupcakes won’t rise properly.
- Place cupcakes into the oven and bake for 15-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the hot cupcake tins and place them on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. It’s important to remove the cupcakes from the hot cupcake tin as soon as they come out of the oven so they don’t continue baking and dry out.
For the Ganache
- While the cupcakes cool, make the ganache: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat the heavy cream in the microwave until hot, about 1½ minutes.1 cup 33% fat heavy cream
- Immediately pour the chocolate chips into the hot heavy cream, then let sit for 5 minutes before stirring.1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- After 5 minutes, stir chocolate chips and heavy cream until well mixed.
- Stir in the corn syrup.1 tablespoon corn syrup
- Set the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes before using it to fill cupcakes.
For the Frosting
- While the ganache chills, make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the powdered sugar, butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla extract on high until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.3 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the frosting to a large icing bag with or without an icing tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip for these cupcakes).
- Set frosting aside for now. This can stay out at room temperature.
For Decorating
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate in the microwave just until melted (start with 30 seconds on high then stir – you don’t want this really hot).1 ounce Baker’s white chocolate
- Place the melted white chocolate into an icing bag and cut a very small hole at the tip for printing.
- Print funny and clever sayings on the chocolate rectangle “tombstone” cookies. Some examples include: RIP, Ima Goner, Game Over, This Sucks, One Way, Dead End, Bea Fraid, Ben Better.20 chocolate-coated graham crackers
- Place the printed-on cookies into the freezer for about 5-10 minutes just so the white chocolate hardens before putting them on top of the cupcakes.
- To fill the cupcakes with ganache, use a small knife to cut a small hole (well) into the top of each cupcake. Spoon about a teaspoon of ganache into each cupcake then place the cut circle of cupcake back on top to cover the ganache filling.
- Pipe frosting on top of each filled cupcake then place a tombstone cookie in the top of each.
Becky’s Tips
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, make your own by measuring ½ cup of milk, removing ½ tablespoon of it, and mixing in ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
- I like to use natural cocoa powder in this recipe, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- You can use salted butter in the cupcakes; simply omit the kosher salt. I do not recommend using salted butter in the frosting.
- You can use granulated sugar in place of the brown sugar.
- In the ganache, you can use whatever kind of chocolate chips you like, such as milk or dark.
- You can omit the corn syrup, but the ganache will not be as shiny.
- In place of the chocolate-coated graham crackers, you can use Vienna fingers, Biscoff cookies, Milanos, or any other tombstone-shaped cookie!
- Do not use white chocolate chips in place of the Baker’s white chocolate; they will not melt as smoothly.
- For slightly melted butter, place cold butter from the fridge into the microwave on high for 40 seconds.
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature; this will help them to combine more easily.
- Do not overmix the cupcake batter; otherwise, you’ll end up with tough cupcakes.
- Don’t overfill the cupcake liners or the cupcakes won’t rise properly.
- It’s important to remove the cupcakes from the hot cupcake tins as soon as they come out of the oven so they don’t continue baking and dry out.
- If you don’t have a piping tip set, place the frosting in a Ziplock bag and cut the corner off to allow you to pipe the frosting.
- Ganache-filled cupcakes shouldn’t be left at room temperature longer than 2 days before refrigerating.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
