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1
Preheat the oven to 350 and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
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2
Spray the paper liners with vegetable spray.
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3
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
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4
In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.
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5
In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the sugar with the oil and eggs at medium speed until combined.
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6
Beat in the buttermilk mixture until blended, then beat in the dry ingredients at low speed until smooth; scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
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7
Pour the batter into the prepared cups, filling them two-thirds full.
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8
Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for about 30 minutes, until the cupcakes are risen and a skewer inserted in the centers comes out clean; shift the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.
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9
Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pans, then turn them out onto a rack and let cool completely.
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10
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
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11
Add the tapioca and boil, stirring, until softened but still slightly chewy, about 15 minutes.
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12
Drain the tapioca and cool it under running water; shake dry.
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13
In a medium bowl, beat the butter with 1/2 cup of the confectioners' sugar until fluffy.
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14
Add the Marshmallow Fluff and beat until smooth.
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15
Fold in the drained tapioca.
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16
In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup of confectioners' sugar with a few teaspoons of water to make a white glaze that is loose enough to pipe.
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17
In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil.
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18
Remove from the heat and add the chocolate.
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19
Let stand until melted, then whisk until smooth.
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20
Transfer the chocolate frosting to a shallow bowl.
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21
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip with the tapioca filling.
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22
Poke the tip deep into the center of each cupcake and pipe in the tapioca filling; wipe off any filling that oozes out of the top.
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23
Dip the tops of the cupcakes in the chocolate frosting, then stand the cupcakes upright onto a baking sheet.
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24
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a fine tip with the white glaze.
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25
Pipe a fine spiral or concentric circles on the top of each cupcake, then drag the tip of a skewer or toothpick from the center outwards to form the spider web design.
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26
Let the frosting and glaze set before serving.
