These black cupcakes are rich, dramatic, and irresistibly chocolaty, perfect for Halloween or any time you’re craving something dark and delicious. The cupcakes are super moist and deeply flavored thanks to a blend of Dutch-process and black cocoa powder, and the cream cheese frosting gets its black hue (and Oreo-like flavor) from even more black cocoa powder. No food coloring needed!
I originally intended to post this frosting option together with the Goth Cupcakes, but I know some people don’t read the directions and just glance at the ingredients list. I don’t want anyone using a ton of red food coloring and butter they’re not supposed to (which are needed for the red frosting), so I thought I’d better split up the recipes before I get yelled at.
Both recipes use the same base recipe, but instead of red frosting on top, these are all black. I topped mine with white sprinkles for a bit of contrast for Halloween, but they’re just as beautiful plain.
- No food coloring – the color comes entirely from black cocoa powder.
- Moist and tender texture – even though the batter is thin, the cupcakes bake up perfectly soft and rich.
- Simple decoration – a swirl of frosting and a few white or ghost sprinkles are all you need for a dramatic effect.
- Easy to make gluten-free – I’ve tested these cupcakes with 2 gluten-free baking blends with perfect results!
Ingredient Notes
Please scroll down for the full recipe. These are just notes on select ingredients.
- Granulated sugar – you can use coconut sugar if you prefer. Sugar-free alternatives don’t work in this recipe.
- Flour – you can use all-purpose, white whole wheat, whole wheat or one of the gluten-free options listed in the recipe.
- Cocoa powder – Dutch-process cocoa gives a deep chocolate flavor and dark color. Regular cocoa (like Hershey’s Natural) will make the cupcakes lighter brown.
- Black cocoa powder – adds that distinct Oreo flavor and striking black color. I used half Dutch-process and half black cocoa in the batter, plus 1/3 cup black cocoa in the frosting for color. Using more than that makes the cupcakes too fragile.
- Eggs – you can use chia eggs for an eggless version, but note that these cupcakes can’t be made vegan due to the cream cheese frosting.
- Milk – any milk works. I use unsweetened cashew milk.
- Oil – you can use canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or light olive oil. Don’t use an expensive, strong-flavored olive oil. I use store-brand organic olive oil from Aldi or Lidl and it works perfectly.
- Boiling water – the batter will look almost as thin as water, but that’s correct! It helps create a moist, tender texture.
- Cream cheese – if you’re outside the US, Canada or Australia, and your cream cheese comes in tubs instead of blocks, you’ll need to drain off the extra liquid before using. Otherwise, your frosting won’t hold up. Make sure to read the notes at the bottom of the recipe.
This is what you need for the frosting.
What is Black Cocoa Powder?
Black cocoa powder is an ultra-Dutched cocoa that’s been alkalized to reduce acidity, giving it an intense color and Oreo-like flavor. It’s less bitter than regular cocoa and more soluble, which makes it great for frostings, cookies, and sauces. Just note that it doesn’t always substitute 1:1 for Dutch-process cocoa in all recipes. Too much can affect texture and moisture balance.
For these cupcakes, the 50/50 mix of Dutch-process and black cocoa gives the perfect balance of color, flavor, and structure.
- Weigh your ingredients – please use a scale for at least the flour!
- Cool completely before frosting – even slightly warm cupcakes will melt cream cheese frosting.
- Don’t overmix – whisk the wet and dry ingredients until just combined to avoid dense cupcakes.
- Use room temperature ingredients – especially for the frosting. Cold cream cheese or butter won’t blend smoothly.
- For contrast – add white sprinkles, candy eyes, or tiny ghost decorations. It really makes the black pop! Black sanding sugar… not so much.
How to Make Ahead, Store and Freeze
Unfrosted cupcakes can be made up to 4 days ahead. After 2 days, refrigerate them to keep them fresh.
Frosted cupcakes keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze unfrosted or frosted cupcakes for up to 3 months. The texture stays great, though the liners may look a little soft after thawing. If presentation matters, freeze without liners and re-wrap before serving.
More Black Cocoa Powder Desserts
- Black Milkshake – a creamy, no food coloring milkshake that tastes like an Oreo, blending vanilla ice cream (use this Paleo Ice Cream for paleo/vegan option) with black cocoa. This is my favorite black cocoa powder recipe and also the easiest!
- Black Heart Cake – a visually stunning black cake with rich, moist layers and a cream cheese frosting flavored with black cocoa for that iconic “Oreo” flair.
- Black Ice Cream – a smooth, egg-free ice cream that tastes like an Oreo wafer, made with black cocoa and easily adapted to vegan, keto, or paleo versions.
- Black Cookies – deep black, Oreo-flavored cookies made without any food coloring. They’re vegan, eggless, and dairy-free.
- Mummy Cookies – black cocoa cookies decorated to look like mummies (with piped “bandages” and candy eyes). These are naturally eggless and perfect for Halloween.
- Jack Skellington Cake – a multi-layer chocolate cake with vanilla and black cocoa cream cheese frosting, decorated with black stripes and a Jack Skellington face.
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Black Cupcakes
Servings 24
These black cupcakes are rich, dramatic, and irresistibly chocolate, making them perfect for Halloween or whenever you’re craving something dark and delicious. Easy to make gluten-free or whole wheat, if desired.
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prepare the cupcakes:
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Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line 2 muffin pans with 24 liners. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (sugar through salt).
2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar, 1 3/4 cups (218-241 grams) flour, 6 tablespoons (42 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 6 tablespoons (42 grams) black cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
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Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
2 large eggs, 1 cup milk of choice, 1/2 cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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Mix until combined, and then stir in the boiling water. The batter will be almost as thin as water. Divide the batter between the muffin liners. I used a little less than 1/4 cup or 56 grams per liner.
1 cup (236 ml) boiling water
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Bake for 17-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs, but no uncooked liquid.
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Let cool for 5 minutes in the pans, and then carefully turn out onto a rack to cool. Let cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting:
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In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together with an electric hand mixer at medium speed until well combined. It’s okay if it looks a little crumbly.
1 pound (450 grams) full-fat cream cheese, 1/2 cup (155 grams) unsalted butter
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Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until totally combined, and then beat in the vanilla and salt.
2 1/2 cups (300 grams) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt
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Beat in the black cocoa powder until well combined.
1/3 cup (37 grams) black cocoa powder
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If the frosting is too soft to pipe, refrigerate it until firm, stirring occasionally. Use Wilton Tip 1M (or whatever tip you want) to make a swirl on top of each cupcake. You’ll have enough for 41 grams (3 tablespoons) per cupcake.
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Unfrosted cupcakes can be prepared up to 4 days in advance. After 2 days, I recommend refrigerating them just to be safe. Frosted cupcakes will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze unfrosted or frosted cupcakes for up to 3 months. The texture will stay fine, though the liners may soften and look a little imperfect. Most people won’t notice, but if you need them to look picture-perfect, frozen cupcake liners aren’t ideal.
- For the flour, you can use all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour. If you’re gluten-free, use 1 3/4 cups (242 grams) Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour or 1 3/4 cups (218 grams) King Arthur Flour Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour.
- If you want to make the cupcakes egg-free, use chia eggs in place of the eggs. To do that, mix together 2 tablespoons of ground chia seed with 6 tablespoons of water until well combined. Let sit for 1-2 minutes until goopy like regular eggs.
- If you use canned coconut milk, water it down so it’s about as thin as dairy milk. Maybe half coconut milk and half water? But note that there’ll be some slight coconut flavor to your cupcakes.
- For the oil, you can use canola, vegetable, grapeseed or light olive oil (not an expensive, super flavorful one). Anything neutral.
- I know that sounds like a lot of water, but I promise you, you need 1 cup!
- If you live outside of North America or Australia and have the kind of cream cheese that’s meant for toast (that comes in a little plastic tub) rather than American-style brick cream cheese, then get two 300-gram packages of cream cheese, place it in the center of a cheesecloth, and wring out the liquid until you’re left with 450 grams of cream cheese.
- I used 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar in the frosting, which gave it a balanced sweetness that let the cream cheese flavor shine through. If you prefer a sweeter frosting, you can add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup (60-120 grams) of powdered sugar.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
- Cake base adapted from Hershey’s One Bowl Chocolate Cake and frosting from my Goth Cupcakes.
Calories: 236.7kcalCarbohydrates: 38.4gProtein: 2.2gFat: 9.5gSaturated Fat: 3.6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.9gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 23.8mgSodium: 244.5mgPotassium: 73.5mgFiber: 1.6gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 138IUCalcium: 37.2mgIron: 1mgNet Carbs: 37
