Pull Apart Graveyard Cupcakes (Print Version)

Chocolate cupcakes transformed into a spooky Halloween graveyard with cookie dirt and tombstones.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

→ Graveyard 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

# How to Make It:

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. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in separate bowl. Add half dry ingredients to wet mixture, followed by milk, then remaining dry ingredients until just combined.
03 - Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or 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 rectangular shape. Generously spread chocolate frosting over all cupcakes, creating smooth surface.
06 - Crush chocolate sandwich cookies and sprinkle over frosting for dirt effect. Write RIP and spooky messages on rectangular cookies with gel icing pens for tombstones. Press into cupcakes. Decorate with gummy worms, candy pumpkins, or Halloween candy.
07 - Chill briefly before serving to set decorations.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pull apart design makes serving effortless and creates an impressive graveyard scene that will have everyone reaching for their phones
  • Kids go absolutely wild for decorating their own tombstone cookies, turning dessert time into creative play
  • The chocolate cupcakes stay incredibly moist for days, so you can make them ahead without losing that fresh baked quality
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients combine more easily and create a smoother batter so set everything out an hour before baking
  • Overmixing the flour develops gluten resulting in tough cupcakes so stop as soon as you see no dry streaks
  • The cupcakes must be completely cool before frosting or the butter will melt and slide right off
03 -
  • Add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the frosting for sophisticated mocha flavor that adults will love
  • Chill the frosted cake for 15 minutes before adding decorations so everything stays in place

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