These Halloween dirt cupcakes are an easy way to turn simple chocolate cupcakes into a fun Halloween treat. Moist chocolate cupcakes are topped with creamy chocolate buttercream, chocolate “dirt,” and gummy worms crawling out of the crumbs.
They’re easy enough to make with the kids, but still look great on a Halloween dessert table. Use crumbled chocolate cake for the dirt as I have here, or crushed chocolate sandwich cookies for a quick shortcut.
I’ve always loved Halloween desserts that look impressive without requiring complicated decorating. These dirt cupcakes are exactly that. A little chocolate frosting, plenty of crumbs, and a few gummy worms are all it takes to transform an ordinary chocolate cupcake into something fun for Halloween.
And because the decorating doesn’t need to be perfect, this is also a great one to let the kids help with—the messier the dirt and worms look, the better.
Why are these the best for Halloween?
- Rich and chocolatey – Moist chocolate cupcakes, chocolate buttercream, and chocolate crumbs make these perfect for chocolate lovers.
- Easy Halloween decorating – No piping skills or fancy decorating techniques needed.
- Fun for kids – Let them add the dirt and arrange the gummy worms however they like.
- Easy to customize – Use homemade cupcakes and frosting or take a few shortcuts when you’re short on time.
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose flour – Gives the cupcakes their structure. Measure by weight for the most consistent results.
- Cocoa powder – Provides the rich chocolate flavor. Use good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Sugar – Sweetens the cupcakes and helps keep the crumb moist and tender.
- Eggs – Use large eggs at room temperature so they incorporate evenly into the batter.
- Butter and oil – This combination gives you the flavor of butter with the added moisture and softness from oil.
- Buttermilk – Adds moisture and a slight tang while helping create a tender chocolate cupcake. If you don’t have buttermilk, use milk with a little lemon juice or vinegar.
- Chocolate buttercream – I use homemade chocolate buttercream, but you can use your favorite chocolate frosting if you prefer.
- Chocolate crumbs – Crumbled chocolate cake or cupcakes create the “dirt.” Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies are an easy alternative.
- Gummy worms – The finishing touch that turns these into Halloween dirt cupcakes. Use any combination of colors and sizes you like.
Step-by-step: Dirt cupcakes with gummy worms
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Melt the chocolate – Melt the chopped chocolate until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Dry ingredients – In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make the cocoa mixture – Combine the cocoa powder, instant coffee, and hot water until smooth. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients – Beat the eggs with the white and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, cocoa mixture, and melted chocolate. Mix in the buttermilk and oil.
- Combine – Add the dry ingredients and mix just until you have a smooth batter. Do not overmix.
- Bake – Divide the batter between the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool – Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Heat – Combine the egg whites and sugar in the stand mixer bowl. Set it over a saucepan of gently simmering water and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches about 160°F/71°C.
- Whip – Remove from the heat. Add the cream of tartar and salt and whip until you have a thick, glossy meringue with stiff peaks. Continue mixing until the bowl feels cool.
- Add the butter – With the mixer running on medium speed, add the butter gradually, one cube at a time. Once incorporated, whip for another 2 minutes, then add the vanilla.
- Add the chocolate – Mix in the melted and cooled chocolate until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
Assemble
- Frost – Spread chocolate buttercream generously over each cooled cupcake.
- Add the dirt – Sprinkle generously with crumbled chocolate cupcake or finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Decorate – Add gummy worms, tucking some into the crumbs so they look like they’re crawling out of the dirt.
- Pro tip: If you’re using cupcakes to make the dirt, crumble one or two before frosting the rest.
Halloween Wormy Dirt Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 55 g (2 oz) Semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- 190 g (1½ cups) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ¾ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 45 g (½ cup) Cocoa powder
- ½ tsp Instant coffee optional
- 180 ml (¾ cup) Hot water
- 2 (2 large) Eggs (about 100 g without shells)
- 100 g (½ cup) White sugar
- 110 g (½ cup) Brown sugar
- 180 ml (¾ cup) Buttermilk
- 120 ml (½ cup) Cooking oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 65 g (2 large) Egg whites
- 100 g (½ cup) White sugar
- ⅛ tsp Cream of tartar optional
- 170 g (6 oz) Unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ tsp Salt
- 90 g (3 oz) Semi-sweet or dark chocolate melted and cooled
For Decorating
- Chocolate cake crumbs or crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
- Gummy worms
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Chocolate – Melt the chocolate until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.55 g Semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.190 g All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking powder, ¾ tsp Baking soda, ¼ tsp Salt
- Cocoa mixture – Combine the cocoa powder, instant coffee, and hot water until smooth. Set aside.45 g Cocoa powder, ½ tsp Instant coffee, 180 ml Hot water
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs with the white and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, cocoa mixture, and melted chocolate. Mix until combined, then add the buttermilk and oil.2 Eggs (about 100 g without shells), 100 g White sugar, 110 g Brown sugar, 180 ml Buttermilk, 120 ml Cooking oil, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Combine – Add the dry ingredients and mix just until you have a smooth batter. Do not overmix.
- Bake – Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool – Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before decorating.
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Temper – Combine the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Place over a saucepan of gently simmering water and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F/71°C.65 g Egg whites, 100 g White sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Whip – Remove from the heat. Add the cream of tartar and salt and whip until you have a thick, glossy meringue with stiff peaks. Continue mixing on medium-low until the bowl feels cool to the touch.⅛ tsp Cream of tartar, ½ tsp Salt
- Add butter – With the mixer running on medium speed, gradually add the butter, one cube at a time. Once incorporated, whip on medium-high for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth.170 g Unsalted butter
- Chocolate – Add the melted and cooled chocolate and mix until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.90 g Semi-sweet or dark chocolate
Assemble
- Frost – Spread a generous amount of chocolate buttercream over each cooled cupcake.
- Add the dirt – Sprinkle with crumbled chocolate cake or crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.Chocolate cake crumbs or crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
- Decorate – Add the gummy worms, tucking some into the crumbs so they look like they're crawling out of the dirt.Gummy worms
Notes
- Keep these short—not the four long Halloween decorating ideas currently in the card. The existing notes even refer to a “pudding mixture,” which isn’t part of this recipe. Veena Azmanov Kitchen
- Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting.
- For cake-crumb dirt, reserve one cupcake for crumbling. This will give you about 13 decorated cupcakes.
- For all 14 cupcakes, use crushed chocolate sandwich cookies instead.
- Make sure the melted chocolate has cooled before adding it to the buttercream.
- Store finished cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Add the gummy worms closer to serving for the best appearance.
Equipment
Made this recipe?
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More Halloween Recipes
- Halloween Sugar Cookies
- Halloween Brownies
- or Halloween Shortbread Cookies
- Halloween Stenciled Cookies
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! These Halloween Wormy Dirt Cupcakes can be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The flavors will meld together overnight, making them even more scrumptious. Just make sure to add the gummy worms right before serving to keep them nice and fresh.
Definitely! While the recipe calls for a chocolate cake mix, feel free to experiment with other flavors like vanilla or red velvet. This will add a unique twist to your cupcakes and allow you to cater to different taste preferences. Go ahead and get creative with your cake mix choices!
If you’re not a fan of Oreos or simply want to try something different, there are plenty of alternatives. Chocolate sandwich cookies from different brands will work just as well. You can also crush chocolate graham crackers or any other chocolate biscuit to create the crumbly dirt texture. The goal is to achieve that rich chocolatey look and taste, so feel free to adapt the recipe to your liking.
Absolutely! While gummy worms are the classic choice for a Halloween-themed cupcake, there are endless possibilities when it comes to decorations. You can use other gummy candies, such as spiders or eyeballs, or even make your own edible decorations using fondant or modeling chocolate. Let your imagination run wild and choose decorations that will make your cupcakes stand out.
Definitely! Plenty of gluten-free cake mixes and cookie brands are available in stores for use as substitutes. You can also make the cupcakes vegan by using egg substitutes like applesauce or flaxseed meal and opting for non-dairy milk. With a bit of creativity and ingredient tweaks, you can quickly adapt this recipe to suit your dietary preferences.
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Hi, I’m Veena
I’m the recipe developer, baker, and food photographer behind Veena Azmanov Kitchen.
I’ve spent years developing and testing recipes, from everyday meals and homemade breads to cakes and desserts.
I share the practical tips and little details I’ve learned along the way so you can get great results in your own kitchen.
These look so fun! Perfect for Halloween treat! My kids will love these – thanks for the recipe share!
How truly spooktacular! These are such a huge hit with the family! Not only are they so flavorful, but they are really easy to make!
These are so cute! I love the idea of crumbling an extra cupcake on top for the dirt if you don’t want the crunch from oreos. Adding these to my list for halloween!
Such a cute dessert! I love these for Halloween..they’re fun to make and serve <3