Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a thick fudgy chocolate frosting and decorated to look like a grill.
When it comes to cupcake decorating I have the skills of a 3 year old (okay fine a 2 ½ year old). I’m not great at piping. And you can forget about fondant!
When it comes to cupcake decorating you don’t have to be an artist to make something cute! These cupcakes can be made in a few simple steps, with almost no skill. If I can do it anyone can!
These would be great for Father’s Day, or Dad’s Birthday. Yes Cupcakes can be manly!! They’d also be super cute for a picnic or neighborhood BBQ.
Basic Chocolate Cupcakes
Grill Cupcakes
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- ¾ Cup Flour
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Eggs
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup Buttermilk or ½ Cup of Milk with 2 teaspoons of vinegar.
Chocolate Frosting
- ½ Cup Butter Softened
- 4 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate Roughly Chopped
- 3 ¾ Cup Powdered Sugar
- ½ Cup Whole Milk
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
Decorations
- Coarse White Sugar
- Hot Tamales
- Black Decorating Gel
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl whisk your dry ingredients together (cocoa powder, flour, baking soda/powder, and salt) just until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl mix sugars, eggs, oil, and vanilla, and buttermilk. Gradually add dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Ladle batter into lined pan (fill around ½ way full). Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
- Melt butter and chocolate in the microwave for 2-3 minutes (stirring frequently).
- Once melted add vanilla and milk. Gradually stir in powdered sugar.
- Spread frosting on cupcakes. Dust with sugar. Draw horizontal lines using the decorating gel.
- Top with 2-3 hot tamales. Draw additional grill marks if desired.
Nutrition
Cupcakes Adapted Via: Sally’s Baking Addiction
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How adorable are these cupcakes?! Seriously, they are so creative and cute! Love! 🙂
Thanks so much Jocelyn! 😀
What a lovely post! Cupcakes are the best!
Agreed thanks Thea!
These cupcakes are adorable! I’m not good at cake/cupcake decorating, but I’d love to give it a try. 🙂
Thanks Tina! Me neither. If I can do these you can too! 😀
these are the cutest decorated cupcakes! they look delicious too!
Thanks so much Thalia!
These are so cute and such perfect timing! I’m going to a BBQ (going away party for my daughter and her husband) and these will be the ideal treat to take with me. Thanks!
Aw thanks so much Cyn!