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Quick Black Sesame Halloween Cupcakes

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These Quick Black Sesame Halloween Cupcakes with Spiderweb Icing capture a nutty, toasty flavor and come together fast for a weeknight treat. The naturally dark color from black sesame gives an eerie look without artificial food coloring, and the spiderweb icing is pure theater that takes about two minutes to do.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups (180g)
  • Granulated sugar, ¾ cup (150g)
  • Black sesame paste, ¼ cup (60g)
  • Unsalted butter, ½ cup (113g), softened
  • Large eggs, 2, room temperature
  • Whole milk, ½ cup (120ml)
  • Baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons
  • Baking soda, ¼ teaspoon
  • Salt, ¼ teaspoon
  • Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
  • Unsalted butter, 1 cup (226g), softened (for icing)
  • Powdered sugar, 3 cups (360g)
  • Heavy cream, 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml)
  • Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon (for icing)
  • Salt, a pinch (for icing)
  • Black food coloring gel, optional
  • White frosting, about ¼ cup (for spiderweb)
  • Black decorating gel, a small tube
  • Candy eyes, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed.
  4. Add the black sesame paste and beat for another 30 seconds until fully incorporated.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.
  6. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk: add one-third of the flour, mix until just combined, then half the milk, repeat, ending with the last of the flour. Mix until smooth, do not overmix.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
  8. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  9. Make the buttercream: beat softened butter until smooth, gradually add powdered sugar, then heavy cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add black food coloring gel if desired.
  10. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream.
  11. Create the spiderweb pattern: pipe 3-4 concentric circles of white frosting on each cupcake, then drag a toothpick from the center outward through all the circles, repeating 6-8 times around the cupcake.
  12. Add the spider: pipe a small black dot in the center of the web using black decorating gel, add 8 tiny legs, and press candy eyes into the spider body if using.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter. Room temperature ingredients matter. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. Pipe the spiderweb immediately after frosting. Practice the spiderweb on a plate first. The black sesame flavor deepens after a day or two.

Nutrition

Keywords: black sesame, Halloween, cupcakes, spiderweb, quick, easy, no artificial colors

Find it online: https://siennaspoon.com/quick-black-sesame-halloween-cupcakes/