Description
Celebrate the Day of the Dead with these vibrant cupcakes, featuring rich chocolate and zesty citrus flavors, topped with colorful buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (or plant-based milk)
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
- 2–4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Food coloring (various colors for decorating)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with colorful liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, mix together buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
- Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar and mix. Pour in the vanilla and 2 tablespoons of cream, adjusting for desired consistency.
- Divide frosting into bowls and mix in food coloring.
- Once cooled, frost the cupcakes and decorate as desired.
Notes
For a dairy-free version, replace buttermilk with nut milk mixed with vinegar and use applesauce or flax eggs instead of regular eggs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Day of the Dead, Cupcakes, Celebration, Baking, Festive Desserts
