10/29/2026
Originally posted by Whitney DePaoli | Sugar & Sparrow
MELTED CANDLE CUPCAKES 🖤🕯give me a few cupcakes, some dye-free black buttercream, and black chocolate ganache and watch me transform them into the spookiest edible centerpiece!
Full tutorial is linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/melting-candle-cupcakes/ but I have a condensed version below:
SUPPLIES:
-9 cupcakes (made these with my small batch black velvet cake recipe!)
-1 batch of dye-free black buttercream
-boba straws or skewers (for stabilizing the taller candles)
-icing smoother + turntable
-black ganache for dripping
-3 birthday cake candles
-matches to light them
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Fill and stack the cupcakes: one stack of 2 cupcakes, one stack of 3 cupcakes, and one stack of 4 cupcakes. For the two taller cupcakes I inserted a boba straw through the middle to stabilize the stack for frosting.
2. Frost the stacked cupcakes with smooth buttercream and keep the top edge raw. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to let the frosting firm up.
3. Transfer the frosted cupcake candles onto a small plate and pipe ganache around the edges and tops to look like melted wax.
4. Insert a birthday cake candle into each cake candle (keep the wick about 1/4 inch from the cake surface) and light!
