This trio of not-too-spooky hocus pocus cupcakes are delightfully fun for all you witches out there obsessed with Winifred (Winnie), Sarah, and Mary and their exploits on Halloween night. Hocus Pocus is one of our all-time favorite movies and one of the most quotable films ever made! You’ll also love our Hocus Pocus Marshmallow Pops! We are thrilled that a sequel is in the works and when we saw that the Grand Floridian at Disney World was offering these Hocus Pocus cupcakes filled with “peanut boo-tter” filling, we thought it would be fun to recreate a copycat version of them here for those of us who can’t make the trip to enjoy them in person this season! When it comes to Halloween, we have some of the best recipes that not only look spooky and fun, but taste amazing too! Some of our other popular Halloween posts include Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Monster Cookies, Graveyard Dirt Cake, and Poison Apples.
Why you’ll want to make this recipe
Even novice cupcake bakers can be proud of their decorating skills with these ones. A simple tip, some food dye, and basic swirls are all you need to mimic the hairstyles of your favorite witches. Some edible glitter adds a magical sparkle that takes them over the top, but it’s totally optional. Everything is made from-scratch for the best possible flavor. Although you could certainly use a mix, if you wanted to. These fun and easy cupcakes are great for a hocus pocus themed Halloween party or birthday (I have an October birthday and always loved making it Halloween themed!). They are way more sweet than spooky, so they are perfect for children.
Recipe Ingredients
Cocoa powder: I love Ghiradelli and Rodelle cocoa powder, but I typically test recipes with Hershey’s because that is the most readily available brand that I think most people have in their pantry. And it tastes great! Espresso powder: After lots of comments on my OG moist chocolate cupcakes about using hot coffee or espresso powder to intensify the chocolate flavor, I went ahead and used a little espresso powder in these. It really does add depth, although not so much that I think it’s totally necessary. So if you want to skip it, you’ll be just fine! Food coloring: I recommend using gel food coloring rather than the liquid kind. It gives more intense results using less food coloring. Oil AND butter: There is a reason for using both types of fat! Butter gives better flavor, but oil keeps cupcakes more moist. So using them together gives the best of both worlds for these cupcakes!
How to Make Hocus Pocus Cupcakes
Here is a step-by-step overview of the process to make this recipe with pictures to help you visualize the piping technique. The full recipe and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Recipe Tips
Storage: These hocus pocus cupcakes will be good for about 3-4 days when kept covered in an airtight container on the fridge. Freezing: You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream separately. When you are ready to decorate and serve the cupcakes, just thaw the cupcakes on the counter and the frosting in the fridge overnight and then on the counter for at least an hour to come to room temperature. I recommend using a hand mixer to mix the frosting again so it’s really smooth and pipeable before decorating and serving the cupcakes. Use dark cupcake wrappers: To keep the focus of the cupcakes on the decorative piping inspired by each of the three Sanderson sisters, I recommend using a dark, solid colored cupcake wrapper. You can find them at most craft stores or just order them online (affil. link).
More Halloween Recipes
Halloween Chocolate Blossom Sprinkle Cookies Decorate Your Own Halloween Cupcake Board Halloween Sugar Cookie Bars Haunted Halloween Gingerbread House
Halloween Oreo Spiders
Homemade Caramel Apples
Pumpkin French Toast with Whipped Pumpkin Butter
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