Easy Halloween Cupcakes + Tutorial

Halloween is almost here and our house is filled with excitement. We are busily putting the finishing touches on costumes and carving Jack O’ Lanterns, and all month long the kiddoes have been having fun making Halloween themed treats like this Monster Popcorn.

Yesterday they wanted something fun and festive to snack on, so I took a quick look though the pantry to see what we could whip up without having to make a trip to the store. And the answer was these Halloween cupcakes. They are simple to make and big on fun.

This really is is an easy cupcake recipe and the kids can even make it on their own. Combine all of the ingredients together in a single bowl (less dishes to wash up -yaye!). Since my mini chefs are chocolate lovers, we decided to bake up these chocolate cupcakes and then use both chocolate and vanilla icing to create our bats and ghosts.

You can switch up the flavours and colours frosting to create all sorts of different Halloween themes. Use the same ingredients in this recipe to turn yout Halloween cupcakes into black cats and mummies. Or how about baking up some Red Velvet Vampires? There are so many options for coming up with truly spooktacular creations.

Ready to learn how to make these frighteningly cute Halloween Cupcakes? Gather up you ingredients and let me show you how….

How to Make Halloween Cupcakes Step By Step

To make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven and line a muffin tray with cupcake paper cases.
2. Place all the cupcake ingredients in a bowl and beat until the batter is well combined.
3. Spoon the cupcake mixture into the paper cases.
4. Bake for between 15-18 mins until they are risen and firm to the touch.
5. Cool in the muffin tray for about 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make you vanilla and chocolate buttercream icing or use store bought icing.

To create the bat cupcakes:

1. Spread chocolate buttercream icing on cupcake using a knife.
2. Make wings by breaking chocolate biscuits in half  and sticking one on each side of the cupcake.
3. And add the eyes and sprinkles for the rest of the bat face.

To create the ghost cupcakes:

1. Spread vanilla buttercream on cupcake using a knife.
2. Add the eyes and decorate the mouth and nostrils using black icing writing.

Secret tip moment here. Or you can…………

Use Store Bought Cupcakes to Make Halloween Cupcakes

But not to worry if you’re short on time or just don’t feel up to baking. Pick up some ready-made cupcake cakes and icing and then have fun getting into the Halloween spirit decorating with the kids. Makes life much easier and even less cleaning up to do. Feel free to grab any flavour of cupcake that you like, it does not have to be just chocolate.

Tips for Making Halloween Cupcakes

• Make sure your cupcakes are cooled completely before you add the icing. Set them on cooling racks or even pop them in the fridge to speed up the process.
• Put a damp paper towel over your bowls of icing to prevent a crust from forming.
• Add a small amount of egg white to your icing mixture to make it firmer and easier to work with.
• Use toothpicks to draw details with icing or to position your decorations.
• To make a spooky graveyard scene like the one shown, use crumbled cupcakes or biscuits to create soil and stick onto a plate or board with icing.

How To Frost Halloween Cupcakes

I have given you some frosting ideas above using buttercream frosting which can be homemade or store bought. Another easy option is to pour melted chocolate or nutella over the cupcakes and make patterns with icing writing.

More Fun and Festive Halloween Recipes

Halloween Zombie Fingers

Monster Halloween Marshmallow Pops

Pumpkin Salted Caramels

Thank you for reading my Halloween Cupcakes recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.

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Print Recipe

4.91 from 10 votes

Halloween Cupcakes

These Halloween Cupcakes are easy to make and fun to eat!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time18 mins

Total Time28 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Western

Servings: 12

Calories: 450kcal

Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

Chocolate cupcakes:

• ▢ 1 cup (150g) unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 1 cup (150g) golden caster sugar
• ▢ 3/4 cup (100g) self-raising flour sifted
• ▢ 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ 2 tbsp warm milk
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla buttercream icing:

• ▢ 1/2 cup (125g) butter softened
• ▢ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup (125g) icing sugar

Chocolate buttercream icing:

• ▢ 1/2 cup (125g) butter softened
• ▢ 2 oz (60g) melted and cooled milk chocolate
• ▢ 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup (125g) icing sugar

Toppings:

• ▢ thin chocolate biscuits split in half for wings
• ▢ sugar eyes
• ▢ sprinkles
• ▢ icing writing black

Instructions

Chocolate cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to fan-assisted 160C / 180C/ 350F / gas 4 and line a muffin tray with cupcake paper cases.
• Place all the cupcake ingredients in a bowl and beat until the batter is well combined.
• Spoon the cupcake mixture into the paper cases.
• Bake for between 15-18 mins until they are risen and firm to the touch.
• Cool in the muffin tray for about 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla buttercream icing:

• Beat the butter until soft. Then beat in the vanilla.
• Add in the icing sugar one tbsp at a time, to your desired doneness.

Chocolate buttercream icing:

• Beat the butter until soft.
• Then beat in the melted chocolate, vanilla extract and cocoa powder.
• Add in the icing sugar one tbsp at a time, to your desired doneness

To create the bat cupcakes:

• Spread Chocolate buttercream on cupcake using a knife.
• Break chocolate biscuits in half and then stick them into each side as wings.
• Add the eyes and sprinkles for the rest of the bat face.

To create the ghost cupcakes:

• Spread vanilla buttercream on cupcake using a knife.
• Add the eyes and decorate the mouth and nostrils using the icing writing.

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Notes

Tips for Making Halloween Cupcakes:

• Make sure your cupcakes are cooled completely before you add the icing. Set them on cooling racks or even pop them in the fridge to speed up the process.
• Put a damp paper towel over your bowls of icing to prevent a crust from forming.
• Add a small amount of egg white to your icing mixture to make it firmer and easier to work with.
• Use toothpicks to draw details with icing or to position your decorations.
• To make a spooky graveyard scene like the one shown, use crumbled cupcakes or biscuits to create soil and stick onto a plate or board with icing.

Inspired by Halloween Stories from B Crocker.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 1005IU | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg