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    Home » Recipes » Holidays

    Chocolate Fudge Spiderweb Muffins

    Published: Oct 5, 2022 · Modified: Oct 13, 2022 by Anna · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    These chocolate fudge muffins are soft, fluffy and super moist, with extra chocolatey flavour. Chocolate spiderweb decorations make them a perfect sweet treat for the Halloween for kids and grown-ups alike!

    Using a mild-flavoured oil instead of butter in this recipe makes these chocolate fudge muffins stay moist for days, and addition of buttermilk creates the softest and most tender crumb that almost melts in your mouth!

    a hand holding a single chocolate fudge spiderweb muffin with some more muffins in the background.

    If you enjoy big, fluffy, bakery-style muffins and chocolate flavour, then these chocolate fudge spiderweb muffins are for you! With their classic 'muffin tops' and simple, but effective spiderweb decoration, these are perfect for the spooky season and beyond.

    My chocolate fudge muffins have incredibly soft and tender texture, thanks to my not-so-secret ingredient. Just like my Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins and my Banana and Blueberry Muffins, they are made with buttermilk. This, and the addition of oil and soured cream makes them stand out from the crowd, and allows the muffins to stay soft for days.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions and variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • Frequently asked questions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Comments

    Ingredients

    Chocolate fudge muffins are made with the following ingredients:

    the ingredients for chocolate fudge muffins with text labels.
    • Flour - I'm using the self-raising flour here, which already has raising agents added to it. Check out the substitutions notes below in this post for the alternatives to self-raising flour.
    • Sugar - Golden caster sugar is great in this recipe, as it adds a very subtle caramel flavours.
    • Baking soda - Only ½ teaspoon of baking soda to produce more rise in the muffins.
    • Buttermilk - My secret weapon for all of my muffin recipes! Buttermilk, just like yoghurt or sour cream helps to tenderize gluten, giving these muffins a softer texture and more body.
    • Soured cream - Same as above, but also for an extra tang and even more tender bite.
    • Cocoa powder - Try to use a good quality, unsweetened cocoa powder. It really makes a big difference to the taste and to the appearance of this bake!
    • Chocolate - In this recipe, we are using chocolate chips (dark or milk), as well as dark and white chocolate for the decoration.

    Scroll to the bottom of this post for the recipe card and the full list of the ingredients.

    Instructions

    These chocolate chip muffins come together in only few, very simple steps. We are using the classic muffin mixing method, adding the wet ingredients into the dry ones.

    I always find that muffins rise and spread much nicer and more evenly, if they have more room to do so in the baking pan. So I normally bake 6 muffins in the 12-hole baking pan at a time. I fill every other hole with paper case, leaving the rest empty.

    That said, you can bake them all together, as one batch. Just be aware that the muffins may be a bit more uneven, and will not raise as much.

    a large bowl with the dry ingredients for chocolate muffins.

    In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.

    a medium glass bowl with wet ingredients and a hand holding a whisk next to it.

    In a medium bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients.

    Hint: Make sure that the buttermilk and the soured cream are at room temperature before mixing the wet ingredients together. This will ensure even mixing and no curdling.

    a bowl with chocolate fudge muffins batter.

    Add the wet ingredients mixture and chocolate chips into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold until just combined.

    a muffin tin with 6 paper cases filled with muffin batter.

    Transfer the batter into baking tin lined with muffin cases. Bake for 20-23 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

    Hint: Filling the muffin cases all the way to the top will create the 'muffin tops'. If you don't want the tall, big muffins, fill the cases up to ¾ full.

    pair of hands dipping a chocolate muffin into a bowl with melted chocolate.

    Dip each muffin into melted dark chocolate.

    chocolate muffin topped with melted chocolate.

    Use the white chocolate to pipe 4 concentric circles on top of each muffin.

    chocolate muffin being decorated with toothpick to create spiderweb design.

    Drag the toothpick or a skewer through the white chocolate, starting from the middle towards the edge.

    a chocolate web decoration in the making on top of the chocolate muffin.

    Repeat to create the spiderweb effect.

    Substitutions and variations

    • Self-raising flour - If you don't have any self-raising flour, you can use the same amount of plain/ all purpose flour, and add 2 ½ teaspoon of baking powder to it.
    • Sugar - If no golden caster sugar is available, you can use any other type of sugar.
    • Buttermilk - Make your own buttermilk by combining the same amount of milk of choice (250 ml) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes. It will curdle and thicken a bit, and that is exactly how it should be.
    • Soured cream - Use an extra buttermilk or same amount of natural yoghurt to replace the sour cream.
    • Chocolate - Feel free to use chocolate chips or chocolate bars chopped into chocolate chunks instead. Both types will work just as well.
    batch of chocolate fudge muffins with spiderweb decorations on top.

    Here are few ideas to try, if you would like to introduce some more variety to this chocolate muffins recipe:

    • Triple chocolate fudge muffins - Replace 50 g of chocolate chips in the batter with milk or white chocolate chips.
    • Add some chopped nuts - Add a handful of chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or cashews to the muffin batter for an extra texture and flavour.
    • Chocolate banana muffins - Replace one egg with a small ripe banana for an extra flavour! Simply add mashed banana to the wet ingredients.
    • Vegan chocolate muffins - Check out this recipe for Vegan Chocolate Muffins from Ela Vegan blog.
    a single plain chocolate fudge muffin in bright orange case and some chocolate chips around it.

    Equipment

    Here's the list of the equipment to bake these double chocolate muffins:

    • Muffin pan - You can use a standard, 12-hole muffin/ cupcake baking tin. If you will be baking 6 muffins at at time, you may find that having two baking tins will allow you to bake them both together. Otherwise, use one, and bake two batches.
    • Muffin cases - Use the ready made muffin cases, which are widely available in stores these days. Alternatively, check out this helpful post on how to make your own muffin cases from Emma Duckworth Bakes.
    • Ice cream scoop - I always use an ice cream scoop to divide my muffin or cupcake batter, as it gives my bakes the most uniform look. For these easy chocolate fudge muffins, I use my large scoop, which is 2 oz (about 59 ml) in capacity. But this is an optional item, as couple of dessert spoons will do just as good job.
    • Piping bag - For piping the white chocolate circles to create the web decoration. Use a disposable piping bag or zip-lock style bag, and snip off a small corner from it to create a small opening.
    an individual chocolate fudge muffin with bite taken out of it.

    Storage

    One of the greatest things about these easy chocolate muffins is the fact that they will stay moist and soft even few days after making them. Thanks to the use of oil, these fudgy chocolate muffins do not dry out as quickly, and can retain that wonderful texture for longer.

    Store them in an air tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving.

    Plain, undecorated muffins are also suitable for freezing for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap each individual muffin in a double layer of clingfilm and place in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.

    You can also re-heat them gently in a microwave or in the warm oven.

    chocolate fudge spiderweb muffins in orange muffin cases standing on a light surface.

    Top tip

    If there is one tip to give you, it will be to make sure you do not over-mix the muffin batter. You want the ingredients to only JUST come together. Muffin batter supposed to be rather thick and a little lumpy.

    When you over-mix the batter, it will crash the air bubbles and will ruin that wonderful fluffy texture. The muffins will be dense and tough, and we want the opposite of that!

    Frequently asked questions

    Why my muffins didn't rise and are flat?

    This could be due to a few reasons. The raising agents you used could be out of date, the oven temperature was too low, or your batter was not mixed in a correct way. Always check the dates on your baking ingredients, use a separate oven thermometer and mix the batter as per the recipe instructions.

    Can this recipe be made gluten-free?

    I personally haven't tried this recipe with gluten-free substitutes, but I believe it will work just fine. Replace the flour with gluten-free one, and make sure the raising agents are also gluten free.

    My muffins are really dry, why is that?

    Check the temperature of your oven. If it was set too high, it will cause the bake to come out dry. Also, if the muffin batter has been over-mixed, the muffins will be dry and dense. Mix the batter only until the ingredients are JUST combined. Few spots of flour remaining in the batter are fine.

    To pin this recipe and save it for later, use the button on the recipe card or on the photos above.

    If you try this recipe, or any other recipe on Anna Banana, please take a moment to rate the recipe and/ or leave me a comment. I love hearing from you, but it also helps other readers who are thinking of making the recipe.

    📖 Recipe

    a single chocolate fudge spiderweb muffin in a bright orange muffin case.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Chocolate Fudge Spiderweb Muffins

    Extra chocolatey and super moist chocolate fudge muffins with chocolate spiderweb decoration. These delicious bakery-style muffins are a perfect treat for Halloween!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time23 mins
    Total Time33 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, British
    Keyword: chocolate fudge muffins, chocolate muffins, muffins, spiderweb muffins
    Servings: 12 muffins
    Calories: 603kcal
    Author: Anna

    Equipment

    • 12-hole muffin/ cupcake tin
    • 12 paper muffin cases
    • large ice cream scoop optional
    • mixing bowls
    • piping bag or a plastic zip-lock bag

    Ingredients

    • 265 g self- raising flour *see notes for the alternative
    • 50 g cocoa powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 200 g golden caster sugar
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 150 g milk or dark chocolate chips
    • 150 ml mild olive oil or mild vegetable oil
    • 250 ml buttermilk room temperature; *see notes for the alternative
    • 60 ml soured cream room temperature
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    Topping:

    • 200 g dark chocolate chopped
    • 100 g white chocolate chopped
    Metric - US Customary
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan) and line the muffin tin with muffin cases. You can bake all 12 muffins at the same time, or bake two batches of 6 muffins, which will allow more room for muffins to expand while baking.
    • In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
      265 g self- raising flour, 50 g cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 200 g golden caster sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
    • In a medium bowl, combine all the wet ingredients: buttermilk, soured cream, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold briefly, then fold in the chocolate chips. Mix the batter until JUST combined.
      150 ml mild olive oil or mild vegetable oil, 250 ml buttermilk, 60 ml soured cream, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 150 g milk or dark chocolate chips
    • Using the large ice cream scoop or a couple of dessert spoons, scoop the batter out and fill each paper muffin case almost right up to the top (watch the video for visuals). Place in the oven and bake for 20- 23 minutes, until well risen and toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then remove the muffins from the tin onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
    • Once the muffins have cooled completely, melt the white and the dark chocolate in separate bowls using the microwave or a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Transfer the white chocolate into a piping bag or a zip-lock style bag with small corner cut off.
      200 g dark chocolate, 100 g white chocolate
    • Working one muffin at a time, dip the top in dark chocolate, then pipe 4 concentric circles of white chocolate on top. Use a toothpick or a skewer, drag through the circles at regular intervals, working from the centre towards the edge to create a web effect. Repeat with the remaining muffins. Enjoy!

    Please note that all my recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I recommend that you use digital scales for a more accurate results. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.

    Video

    Notes

    • Alternatively, you can use plain/ all-purpose flour with 2 ½ teaspoon of baking powder added to it.
    • You can make your own buttermilk by mixing 250 ml of milk (any type) with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes until it starts to curdle. Use as per the recipe instructions.
    • Do not over-mix the muffin batter. Muffin batter should be a bit lumpy. It's fine if few spots of flour are still remaining! Over-mixing will produce tough and denser muffins.
    • If baking 6 muffins at a time, place the paper cases in every other cup of your muffin tin. This will give plenty of room for the chocolate muffins to expand without touching each other.
    Storage and freezing:
    These chocolate fudge muffins are best eaten fresh on the day they were made. You can store any leftovers in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 6 days.
    Undecorated, plain muffins are suitable for freezing. Wrap each muffin individually in a double layer of clingfilm and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature. You can use a microwave or an oven at low temperature to re-heat the muffins too. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 100g | Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 425mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 4mg
    Did you make this?Tell me how you like it? Leave a comment or take a picture and tag @anna_wierzbinska on Instagram. I love seeing your take on my recipes!

    This recipe was originally published in October 2016. It has been updated with the new photos, video, revised recipe and tips in October 2022.

    More Holidays

    • Orange and Cranberry Bundt Cake
    • Orange and Cranberry Loaf
    • Orange and Cranberry Chelsea Buns
    • Halloween Mummy Cupcakes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jackie

      November 01, 2022 at 11:55 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for Halloween and they came out PERFECT! I replaced the eggs for flaxseed, buttermilk for homemade vegan buttermilk, sour cream for vegan yogurt and the flour with gluten-free self-raising flour. They were a smashing hit, everybody enjoyed them. Thank you for this great recipe! 💖💖💖

      Reply
      • Anna

        November 02, 2022 at 10:06 am

        Thanks so much Jackie, I'm really pleased to hear that the recipe works with all the substitutes, I'm sure other readers will find that very helpful too!

        Reply
    2. JJ

      January 16, 2018 at 11:28 pm

      What would the measurement of the aquafaba be when whipped? Its just that I already have whhipped aquafaba and I'm wondering how much I would have to take...Thanks for any help!

      Reply
      • annabanana

        January 19, 2018 at 11:11 am

        Hi JJ!
        That's a tricky one... but my guess (and it's just a guess) will be about 1 cup (about 220 ml)... hope it helps!

        Reply
    3. Melissa @ Vegan Huggs

      October 15, 2016 at 1:13 am

      5 stars
      OMG! These are the cutest! They look so chocolate-y, decadent and delicious! Your spider web design is incredible. I would love to give this a try . Beautiful job, Anna 🙂

      Reply
      • annabanana

        October 19, 2016 at 10:35 am

        Awwwww Melissa, you've made me blush with your lovely comment!!!Thanks so much!!! I absolutely love your mummy cupcakes from the other day! So creative!!! And the story of your little one spending dad's money on Amazon made me laugh so much this morning!!! Hope all is well and big hugs to whole family! xxx

        Reply

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