Super Easy Spider Web Cupcakes

I made these for my daughter's Halloween party in her kindergarten class.

The teacher was impressed and said "Oh my, this must have taken you hours." Ha, well it would have if I was drawing the webs right on the cakes. And it probably still wouldn't have come out as nice. You can create amazingly delicate designs using melted chocolate. 

Making the Cup Cakes
1) Use regular store-bought chocolate cake or cupcake mix. You can really use any flavor cake mix, just make sure the frosting is chocolate.

2) Use regular, store-bought chocolate frosting or make your own.

3) Line cupcake pan or use paper cupcake holders (this is better if you're planning to serve these at a school party.)

4) Follow the directions on the box and bake cupcakes, Let them cool completely.

5) Make sure not to overfill the baking cups. You don't want the top too round. The flatter the better.

6) Once cupcakes have cooled, frost them with the chocolate frosting using a small spatula. Set aside but don't chill yet. If you chill them, you won't be able to "glue" the decorations in place.

Making the Spider Webs
1) Print out this spider web template. It's the perfect size.

2) Use a cookie sheet or flat plate. Put the template on the plate and then put wax paper on top so that you can see through it.

3) Heat the white chocolate. Heat it in a microwavable dish, every 30 seconds at half power. Check, stir and repeat until the chocolate is completely melted. Make sure there are no lumps left.then fill a decorating bag.

4) Fill a decorating bag with chocolate. I used a disposable Wilton bag with a #2 tip and coupler. If you don't have that you can use a plastic sandwich bag and cut a small, fine hole. I think the tip works better though. Follow the instructions on the packing for inserting the coupler and tip

5) Make sure to roll the top of the bag over before filling it with chocolate and then rolling it up again. Otherwise it gets really messy. You need to work while the chocolate is liquidy and easy to paint with.

6) Follow the lines in the template, making sure to fill in every line. Put enough chocolate on each line so that it will be sturdy enough not to break when you put it on a cake. Don't let the webs touch, so leave plenty of room between designs.

7) Shift the template around below the wax paper to maximize space and get as many webs on the way paper as you need. Make extra in case some break when you are decorating.

8) When finished, put the whole tray in the fridge for ten minutes so the chocolate hardens.

Decorating The Cup Cake



















1) Remove the tray of webs from the fridge and carefully lift a web up using a spatula. You can try using your fingers but having a large surface area will reduce the chances of breaking the webs.

2) Place them carefully on the soft chocolate icing.

3) Chill for ten minutes and they are ready to serve.  If you need to pack them up to take them to a party, pack carefully and make sure the spider webs don't touch each other.


What You'll Need

• one box of cake mix, chocolate preferred but you can use any flavor
• one can of chocolate frosting
• white melting chocolate candy
• a microwavable cup for heating the chocolate
• cupcake tin
• paper cupcake holders
• decorating bag, #2 Wilton tip, coupler, or plastic sandwich bag
• scissors
• printout of template
• wax paper
• cookie sheet
• spatula

 
 























By: Christine Ford