Magical Melting Candle Cupcakes for Halloween

Directions

1. Prepare 24 chocolate cupcakes using a boxed mix, following package directions. Do not add extras like chocolate chips or nuts.
2. Whisk together powdered sugar, butter, and milk to create a simple frosting. Stir in black food coloring until the frosting is charcoal black or your chosen color.
3. For the ganache, melt chocolate with a bit of milk and black food coloring, stirring until you get a thin, drippy consistency.
4. Slice the domed tops off all cupcakes so they have flat, even surfaces.
5. Spread a layer of frosting on top of one cupcake, then stack another on top. Continue stacking to create towers of 2, 3, or 4 cupcakes each.
6. Push a standard drinking straw down through the center of each cupcake tower, trimming the straw to match the tower's height if needed.
7. Cover each stacked tower completely with the black frosting, then place them in the refrigerator to firm up.
8. Run a very hot knife over the frosted surface to smooth it out, making it look like a sleek candle.
9. Spoon the thin ganache over the tops of each candle stack, letting it drip down the sides to resemble melted wax.
10. Insert tall, thin birthday candles into the straws at the center of each stack, pushing them down until just their tops peek out above the frosting.