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Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes

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Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and “from scratch” to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party!

Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and "from scratch" to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party! | Persnickety Plates

Are you ready for Halloween?! For some reason, I love Halloween stuff even more than I love Christmas decorations. Not the gory stuff, but the fun Halloween things. I’m drawn to nearly every pumpkin I see at the stores.

BROWNIE BOTTOM HALLOWEEN CUPCAKES

I’ve loved following Cupcake Diaries 30 Days of Halloween the past few years so I’m really excited to be a part of the series this year! Scroll down to the bottom for more creative Halloween treats and crafts.

Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and "from scratch" to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party! | Persnickety Plates

Today happens to be my 7th wedding anniversary (!) and we got engaged on Halloween! Another reason it’s one of my favorites.

Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and "from scratch" to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party! | Persnickety Plates

These Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes are really simple. Start with a base of my favorite dark chocolate brownies then take some help from a white cake mix for the next layer.

I dyed it orange with a new food coloring kit I ordered and they turned out beautifully – bright & vibrant. I know some people are anti-food coloring but I very rarely use it so whatever, I’m not worried about it.

I think the brownie layer is dark enough when you use dark cocoa powder, but you could add a few drops of black food coloring if you want it even darker.

Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and "from scratch" to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party! | Persnickety Plates

For the buttercream, I tried a new Pillsbury Buttercream mix I picked up at Target. You just add butter and water and I really liked it. If you want to make it from scratch, go for it. (You can find my favorite “from scratch” buttercream frosting recipe here.)

I stocked up on Halloween sprinkles and cupcake wrappers at HomeGoods last year so I had plenty to choose from.

Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and "from scratch" to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party! | Persnickety Plates

TIPS TO MAKE THESE CUPCAKES A SUCCESS

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Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and "from scratch" to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party! | Persnickety Plates

Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes

Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates
Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and “from scratch” to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party!
4.64 from 22 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cupcakes
Calories 118 kcal

Ingredients
 

For the brownie layer:

  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cake layer:

  • 15.25 ounce white cake mix + ingredients called for on box
  • orange food coloring exact blend given in “Tips” above

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cupcake pans with 24 liners. Set aside.

To make the brownie layer:

  • In a medium bowl, add the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Stir to combine.
    1 cup granulated white sugar, ½ cup all purpose flour, ⅓ cup Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • In a large measuring cup, add 1/3 cup vegetable oil then add the eggs and vanilla, Mix with a fork right in the measuring cup until well combined.
    2 large eggs, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined. Set aside.

To make the orange cake layer:

  • In a large bowl, make the white cake as called for on the box then dye orange (exact drops I used given in “Tips” above).
    15.25 ounce white cake mix, orange food coloring

To assemble

  • Add a small cookie scoop (approx. 2 teaspoons) of brownie batter to the bottom of each cupcake liner.
  • Follow with a medium cookie scoop (approx. 1.5 Tb) of cake batter to the top of the brownie batter.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let cool then frost with buttercream and add sprinkles.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Two Sisters Crafting
Funfetti is fun in place of the white cake mix.
Orange dye is optional. 
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week (they won’t last that long!)

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 118kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 23IUCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Tried this recipe? Tag me!Mention @melissa_pplates or tag #persnicketyplates!

Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying/pasting and/or screenshots of full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected.

Brownie Bottom Halloween Cupcakes have a layer of dark chocolate brownie topped with orange cake batter and finished off with buttercream and sprinkles. They are the perfect mix of semi-homemade and "from scratch" to be easy but really fun and festive for your next Halloween party! | Persnickety Plates
30-days-of-halloween-2016-at-cupcakediariesblog-com




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  1. Alli @ Cupcake Diaries says

    I love these cupcakes so much! And I really love the colorful photos. Thanks so much for such a great post and for participating in the series!!

    • Melissa Williams says

      Thanks for having me & organizing! It’s a great series =)

  2. Mary @ LOVE the secret ingredient says

    Very fun and cute recipe. And happy anniversary! My son just got married over the weekend. A beautiful time of year for it for sure!

    • Melissa Williams says

      Thanks, Mary. I agree, it’s a pretty time of year. Congrats to your son (& you!) =)

  3. Kaitlyn says

    Yum! These are so festive! The brownie layer is a great surprise. You did a great job with the sprinkles!

  4. Christina says

    It’s a good sign that you love the holiday, considering the timing. Congratulations on your 7th wedding anniversary.

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