Devil Cupcakes

Amethyst · October 13, 2025, 10:31pm

Devil Cupcakes

Time: 45 minutes mins prep + 25 minutes mins cook
Servings: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
8 drops red gel food coloring, or as needed
½ cup buttermilk

Black Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
5 drops black gel food coloring, or as needed
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, or up to 2 tablespoons (optional)
red fondant, as needed

Directions:

For the Red Velvet Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, then set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set bowl aside.

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), add sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, white vinegar, and red food coloring. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then mix for 10-20 seconds. Pour in buttermilk, then mix for 10-20 seconds more. Add the other half of the dry ingredients, then mix another 10-20 seconds or until just combined. If needed, blend in more red food coloring until the desired color is reached.

Pour cupcake batter into prepared muffin tin, filling cavities about 3/4 full.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a tester toothpick comes out clean.

Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Black Buttercream Frosting:

Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip butter and vanilla extract on high speed until fluffy.

Drop mixer speed to medium and slowly add sugar to butter, mixing thoroughly in between.

Keeping the speed on medium, blend in black food coloring until the desired color is reached. Check frosting consistency; if frosting is too thick, add anywhere from 1-2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. Set frosting aside for now.

On a clean, flat surface, take a small amount of red fondant and roll it into a curved horn shape. Repeat this step until you’ve made 24 horns.

Putting it All Together:

When ready to decorate, fill a pastry bag with prepared black buttercream frosting and a piping tip of your choice.

Frost each cupcake in a decorative pattern as desired.
In each cupcake’s frosting, place two red horns on either side to create a devilish look. TIP: If you want to ensure horns stay in place, thread horns on toothpicks, leaving enough length at the end to also spear a cupcake within frosting.

Serve as desired.

Notes:

Do you have to use buttermilk?

Buttermilk adds moisture and a slight tang to the cupcakes, enhancing their flavor and texture. However, if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own or use substitutes:

Making Your Own Buttermilk:

Milk and Vinegar/Lemon Juice: Mix 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with enough milk to make ½ cup. Let it stand for 5 minutes, then use as desired.
Substitutions:

Yogurt: Use ½ cup of plain yogurt, thinned with a little milk if needed.

Sour Cream: Combine ½ cup of sour cream with a little milk for a buttermilk-like consistency.

Milk: Use ½ cup of milk; note that the tanginess of buttermilk will be missing.

What type of food coloring should you use?

Choosing the right type of food coloring is crucial for achieving the vibrant Halloween-themed shades in Devil Cupcakes. Here are the recommendations:

For Red Velvet Cupcakes:

Gel Red Food Coloring: Best for its high concentration, providing a vivid red without affecting the cake’s flavor or texture.

For Black Buttercream Frosting:

Black Gel Food Coloring: Ideal for a deep black color; widely available.

Combination of Black Cocoa Powder and Black Food Coloring: Another approach is to use black cocoa powder, which is heavily dutched or alkalized, to help tint the buttercream. Combining black cocoa powder with a little black food coloring can achieve the desired shade of black. However, this will change the flavor of the cream cheese frosting from vanilla to chocolate. Start with 1 or 2 tablespoons and work your way up to your desired color, taste testing as you go.

Color Right Food Coloring System in Black: This ultra-concentrated color system is great for achieving a rich, dark shade of black in frosting without compromising its consistency. It comes in squeezable bottles for easy use.

Best Piping Tip Options for Cupcakes:

Standard piping tips for cupcakes are essential for achieving a variety of decorative designs. Here are some popular ones:

Round Tip (#1A, #2A): Ideal for basic and graceful decorations such as dots and lines, perfect for uncomplicated round swirls or droplet designs.

Star Tip (1M, 2D): A top choice for the standard cupcake spiral and miniature rosettes. The 1M tip is famed for its prominent, dramatic swirls.

Closed Star Tip (#847, #848): Excellent for textured designs such as spirals or rosettes, and also for intricate floral and border patterns on cupcakes.

Open Star Tip (#32, #21): Suitable for easy swirls, rosettes, star designs, and zigzag patterns, adding a playful aspect to cupcake decorations.

French Star Tip (#865): Ideal for upscale and elaborate designs, as well as creating distinct textures and detailed patterns.

Petal Tip (#104, #125): Perfect for crafting leafy elements, ruffles, festoons, and bow-like designs, enhancing the cupcakes’ visual appeal.

Can you make these cupcakes in advance?

Certainly! However, I would recommend threading the devil horns on toothpicks to help secure them to the cupcakes. This will make sure the weight of the horns won’t cause them to fall or sink into the frosting over time.

For the best presentation, I recommend making these cupcakes no more than 24 hours in advance.

How should these cupcakes be stored?

These cupcakes are topped with buttercream frosting, and it’s the frosting that determines the best way to store them.

If you plan on eating the cupcakes within 24-48 hours, it’s perfectly okay to store them at room temperature.

If you’d like to keep the cupcakes fresh for longer than two days, store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that the frosting will firm up once chilled, so if you’d prefer a softer texture, allow time for the frosting to soften at room temperature (typically one hour will do) before serving.

How long are devil cupcakes good for?

When stored in a sealed container on the counter, cupcakes will remain good for one or two days. If stored in the refrigerator, cupcakes can last anywhere from four to six days.

Can you freeze these cupcakes?

Yes, you totally can! However, it’s best to freeze these cupcakes before they are decorated. If you’ve already decorated the cupcakes, I highly recommend enjoying them while they’re still freshly made.

To freeze these cupcakes:

Bake cupcakes per recipe instructions, then allow to cool completely.

Wrap cupcakes in plastic wrap. You can either wrap them individually or arrange the cupcakes in a group (single layer) and wrap them together. Note: If you have already decorated the cupcakes and really want to freeze them, chill the cupcakes in the refrigerator until the frosting feels solid to a gentle touch (doesn’t smear) and gently wrap the cupcakes in plastic.

Place wrapped cupcakes in a freezer bag or a storage container with a sealable lid.

Cupcakes can be frozen for up to three months.

Since these cupcakes are all about the devil design, feel free to use store-bought red velvet cupcakes, make cupcakes from a red velvet box mix, or add black food coloring to store-bought vanilla frosting. Since these cupcakes are all about the “look,” feel free to make them as easy or as homemade as you’d like!

If the frosting becomes too thick, you can mix in one or two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream.

For best results, mix this recipe using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. These are designed to mix ingredients evenly while minimizing air incorporation, ensuring a denser and more consistent texture. While a whisk attachment is also an option, careful attention is needed to avoid overmixing, which could lead to a spongy texture.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe courtesy of Homemade Hooplah.com