Haunted Forest Cupcakes
These haunted forest cupcakes look elaborate but are incredibly easy to make. Chocolate cupcakes topped with mossy green buttercream, crushed cookies, and pretzel trees turn into spooky edible forest scenes — no piping skills or fondant needed!
Equipment
- Muffin tin
- Cupcake liners Brown or black preferred
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer For buttercream
- Spatula or piping bag For applying frosting
- Small bags or food processor For crushing cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder (dark preferred)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup hot coffee or water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)
- to tint green gel food coloring
- to tone brown gel coloring (optional)
- as needed pretzel sticks, Pocky, or Pirouette cookies
- as needed crushed Oreos or chocolate graham crackers
- as needed green coconut flakes (optional)
- as needed candy pumpkins, skeletons, gummy worms, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with dark cupcake liners. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl. In another bowl, whisk sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk, coffee, and vanilla. Combine wet and dry ingredients just until mixed. Fill liners ⅔ full. Bake 18–20 minutes. Cool completely.
- Beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar gradually. Mix in cream and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Tint with green gel food coloring for mossy forest color — tone down with brown or gray if needed.
- Frost cupcakes with a piping bag or spatula. Texture the surface to resemble terrain — no need for perfect swirls.
- Sprinkle crushed cookies, graham crackers, and optional green coconut onto frosting. Press gently to stick but keep textured look.
- Stick pretzel sticks upright as trees. Add broken Pocky or Pirouettes as logs. Vary angles and height for realism.
- Finish with spooky candy: pumpkins, ghosts, gummy worms, or skeletons. Not every cupcake needs every element — variation is good!
Notes
Use muted green food coloring to create realistic forest moss. Decorations like candy pumpkins or mini skeletons can be added based on your spooky vibe. Add pretzel trees and cookie 'dirt' right before serving to keep them crunchy.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 160mgPotassium: 130mgFiber: 2gSugar: 35gVitamin A: 350IUCalcium: 45mgIron: 2.1mg
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