Best Midnight Madness Cupcakes Recipes

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW MADNESS CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray.
• For the cupcakes:
• In a tall glass, combine cocoa mix with 2 ounces hot water. Stir until cocoa dissolves. Add 6 ounces cold water and stir well.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, egg substitute, sweetener, and salt. Add cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth.
• Evenly distribute cake mixture among the prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.
• To make the glaze:
• Put the marshmallow creme in a small dish. Add soymilk and mix well.
• Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, drizzle marshmallow glaze over them. Top each cupcake with 1/4 teaspoon chocolate chips and one mini marshmallow.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish the cupcakes with additional chocolate chips and marshmallows, if using.

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners - this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until combined. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thin.
• Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only halfway (this is imperative! only halfway!) to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking.
• Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. I usually let them cool in the pan.
• Frost cooled cupcakes however you'd like. I used chocolate buttercream and Wilton 1M piping tip for these pictured cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

"FROM THE HEART" CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs.
• In medium microwavable bowl, microwave white baking chips uncovered on High 45 seconds. Stir; if necessary, microwave in 15-second increments, stirring after each, until chips are melted and smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Stir in frosting until well blended. Immediately frost cupcakes, or pipe frosting on cupcakes.
• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In 1-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on Medium (50%) 30 seconds. Stir; microwave in 10-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Place chocolate in small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe 24 heart shapes on waxed paper. Refrigerate 10 minutes to set chocolate. Garnish each cupcake with a chocolate heart. Store loosely covered.

MIDNIGHT MOLTEN BROWNIE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Generously grease 12 muffin cups (2 3/4x1 1/4 inches). In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds or until melted and mixture can be stirred smooth.
• In large bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk or electric mixer until foamy. Reserve chocolate syrup pouch from brownie mix. Gradually beat dry brownie mix into egg mixture until well blended. Gently stir in melted chocolate mixture. Fill muffin cups half full of brownie mixture; top each with 1/2 teaspoon decors. Top with remaining brownie mixture.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set and internal temperature is at least 160°F. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Centers will be soft. Cool 2 minutes.
• Loosen each cupcake with knife; turn upside down onto heatproof tray or cookie sheet. To serve, place cupcake on plate; drizzle with reserved chocolate syrup and top with additional decors.

HALLOWEEN OWL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Spoon white frosting into decorating bag fitted with round plain tip #804 or #4T (with 3/8-inch opening). Squeeze bag to pipe 2 large rounds, sides touching, on each cupcake to look like owl face. Pipe yellow decorating icing in center of rounds for eyes. Top with chocolate chips for pupils. Press candy corn between eyes for beak.

CREAM-FILLED BLACKOUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the chocolate cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix on low for 30 seconds to combine. Add the oil, melted butter, water, beaten egg and vanilla and mix on low to combine. Scrape the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula and then mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• Scrape and fold the batter a few times. Divide the batter into the 12 liners and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out with moist crumbs, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Before frosting the cupcakes, cover them lightly with plastic wrap and chill them for 1 hour to make handling easier.
• For the fudge frosting and filling: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high until very smooth and shiny, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the cocoa, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla and salt and blend on low until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add in 1 tablespoon of steaming hot water. Scrape the bowl, then raise the mixer to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Turn the mixer to low and mix for 1 to 2 minutes to smooth out the frosting and reduce air bubbles.
• Transfer 1/3 cup of the fudge frosting to a small bowl and stir in the marshmallow creme.
• Use a paring knife or apple corer to remove a 1-inch wide "plug" of cake in the middle of the bottom of each cupcake, cutting about halfway through.
• Place the cream filling into a small resealable plastic bag and snip off the tip. Pipe the filling into the holes cut out of the cupcakes; use the plugs or scraps of the cake you removed to plug the holes back up.
• Frost the filled cupcakes with the remaining frosting and top with mini chocolate chips if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

SALTED TURTLE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, buttermilk, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, 30 minutes.
• In 3-quart saucepan, melt caramels with whipping cream over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Cool 5 minutes. Spoon mixture into medium resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag. Twist bag above frosting. To fill cupcakes, insert tip of plastic bag halfway into cupcake center and squeeze until you see caramel start to surface.
• Frost cupcakes with frosting; drizzle with remaining caramel. Sprinkle with pecans and sea salt.

SUMMER SQUASH CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, stir together summer squash, cake mix, water and oil with whisk until almost smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, making sure to include chocolate chips in each one.
• Bake 20 to 24 minutes or until toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from muffin cups; cool completely on cooling racks, about 30 minutes.
• Frost cooled cupcakes with frosting. Sprinkle crushed almonds over tops.