Take a bite out of these Halloween Bleeding Cupcakes and enjoy a wonderful "bloody" surprise inside. The bright red colored filling and the rich black chocolate cupcakes are a treat that's perfect for Halloween. -Dracula approved.
In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and vanilla until fluffy.
Add in the black cocoa powder and mix again until smooth.
Slowly add in the powderd sugar, one cup at a time, blending well after each addition.
Add in milk a little at a time (start with 1 tablespoon and then add in 1 teaspoon's worth at a time) until you get your desired consistency.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the gooey red filling next.
In a mixing bowl blend together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add in the vanilla and egg and mix until incorporated.
Add in a teaspoon of red food coloring.
Add in the powdered sugar and mix.
If desired, add up to a teaspoon more of red food coloring for a darker color.
Cover the bowl of filling and set in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
Cream your butter, sugar, black food coloring, and vanilla together until fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time until smooth.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda until blended.
Add the vinegar to the buttermilk.
Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the wet mixture and then add in ⅓ of the buttermilk.
Add in half of the remaining flour followed by the last of the milk and finally the last of the flour mixture. Stir until fully incorporated.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into the muffin cups and spread them out along the bottom to cover it well.
Add one heaping teaspoon of the red filing into the center of the cupcakes and then top with another spoonful or so of batter. You want the red nicely covered and the muffin liners filled about ⅔ of the way.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, add the frosting on top and sprinkle with Vampire themed sprinkles, if desired.
Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Substitute: Regular baking cocoa can replace Dutch cocoa powder but will yield brown cupcakes, not black.
Achieving Black Color: To achieve a black hue, add a significant amount of black food coloring to both batter and frosting, around a few tablespoons.
Storage: Freeze cupcakes in a large airtight container for up to 3 months. For short-term storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Note: While they can be kept at room temperature for a few hours when fresh, refrigeration is necessary due to the cream cheese filling for food safety.