Happy Friday and Haunted Mansion premiere day! I’m celebrating with these fun Madame Leota Cupcakes! Inspired by the character from the Haunted Mansion ride, these black chocolate cupcakes have a twist of blue and purple marshmallow frosting, and a Madame Leota decoration!
The Haunted Mansion ride is so classic and I always love getting to ride it when I’m in the parks. As the new movie is based off of the ride, I took inspiration from one my favorite ride characters for these cupcakes (can’t wait to see Jamie Lee Curtis portray her in the movie) Madame Leota!
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These cupcakes use black cocoa powder, which tastes more like an Oreo than a regular dark chocolate. I really love the flavor but if you prefer regular chocolate, you can definitely swap out the black cocoa powder for regular unsweetened cocoa powder. My favorite black cocoa powder is from King Arthur Baking. If you’re interested in other recipes using black cocoa be sure to check out my Mickey Boo Spiderweb Cake and my Cookies & Cream Mickey Waffle Sundae!
To make the cupcakes, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black cocoa powder in a large bowl. Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Stir in the boiling water. Don’t worry, the batter will be thin and runny!
Pour the batter into a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners, filling each cup about ⅔ full. For these cupcakes, I used black foil cupcake liners to match Madame Leota’s dark colored table cloth. Bake the cupcakes at 350 F for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the marshmallow fluff and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until fluffy. Make sure not to overbeat the frosting as it will become tough.
Divide the frosting between two bowls. Add a couple drops of blue gel food coloring to one of the bowls and a couple drops of purple gel food coloring to the other bowl. Stir until the colors are evenly distributed. I used the sky blue and regal purple colors from the Ann Clark gel food coloring set.
Transfer the frosting to two piping bags, one for the blue frosting and one for the purple frosting. Cut the tips off the ends and place those two piping bags inside a larger piping bag fitted with a large star piping tip.
To decorate the cupcakes, pipe a swirl of frosting onto the top of each cupcake. Try to press equally on both sides of the piping bag so that the swirl is two toned. Then, press a Madame Leota cupcake decoration into the frosting. I actually made my own cupcake toppers by drawing a version of Madame Leota on my iPad, printing it on cardstock, and then cutting it into rounds using my Cricut machine. I then taped the images to toothpicks to make cupcake toppers.
Once decorated, enjoy these Madame Leota Cupcakes from regions beyond!
Madame Leota Cupcakes
Ingredients
Black Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup + 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons black cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup boiling water
Marshmallow Frosting
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 7.5 oz jar marshmallow fluff or creme
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- blue gel food coloring
- purple gel food coloring
Equipment
- 12 cup muffin pan
- black cupcake liners
- piping bags
- large star piping tip (Wilton 1M)
- Madame Leota cupcake decorations
Instructions
Black Chocolate Cupcakes
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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with black cupcake liners.
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In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black cocoa powder.
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Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes.
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Stir in the boiling water. The batter will be thin and runny.
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Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about ⅔ full.
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Bake the cupcakes for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Marshmallow Frosting
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On medium speed, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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Add in the marshmallow fluff and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
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Gradually add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Make sure not to overbeat the frosting as it will become tough.
-
Divide the frosting between two bowls. Add a couple drops of blue gel food coloring to one of the bowls and a couple drops of purple gel food coloring to the other bowl. Stir until the colors are evenly distributed.
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Transfer the frosting to two piping bags, one for the blue frosting and one for the purple frosting.
Assembly
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Place the two piping bags into a larger piping bag fitted with a large star piping tip.
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Pipe a swirl of frosting on the top of each cupcake.
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Press a Madame Leota inspired cupcake topper into the swirl of frosting.