Halloween and cupcakes: the two funnest things on the planet. It’s hard to resist a personal-sized cake all your own, but when those little cakes are decorated in the theme of the season, it’s impossible not to have one…or three. Eating them is only half the fun though. Making and decorating little cakes for a Halloween party – or for no special occasion at all – is where the rest of the pleasure comes in. Cupcakes, frosting and candies for decorating are the basics that, when put together with a few imaginative Halloween cupcake ideas, result in delicious, if not too frightening, treats.
Cupcake Inspiration is Everywhere
So, where to begin looking for great Halloween cupcake ideas, you ask? Creative ideas are all around, you just need to recognize them. Begin with the decorations that start going up on the first of October. Spiders and webs are everywhere. Hmm…a spider would be an scary but adorable topper for a cupcake. Then take a look at the typical Halloween costumes. Turning a monster mask into a tray of cupcakes is genius! Or watch some classic Halloween movies for inspiration. If watching the Corpse Bride doesn’t make you want to turn a batch of cupcakes into a bunch of mini-skulls, you may not be watching closely enough…
Cupcakes crafted specifically for Halloween are a treat for everyone. They’re easy to take along anywhere, making them perfect for school parties. They make amusing, yummy mini desserts after a Halloween dinner but truthfully, cupcakes are great to have on hand anytime. No matter what the recipe, bake up a batch of devilish or darling (depending on how you look at it) Halloween delicacies and let the fun begin!
Creepy, Crawly Spider Cupcakes
No one will mind a bug on their cupcake when it’s this cute and crunchy creature.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
- 1 pkg. (3.9 oz.) chocolate instant pudding
- 1/3 cup orange flavor sugar-sweetened soft drink mix
- 2 Tbsp. hot water
- 1 can (16 oz.) ready-to-spread white frosting
- 24 chocolate sandwich cookies
- 12 pieces black string licorice (32 inches each)
- 48 miniature candy-coated chocolate pieces
Directions
- Prepare cake batter as directed on package; blend in dry pudding mix. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake as directed on package for cupcakes. Cool completely.
- Dissolve drink mix in hot water. Stir into frosting in bowl until well blended. Use to frost cupcakes, reserving some of the frosting for attaching the decorations.
- Cut each licorice piece into 16 (2-inch) lengths; set aside. Place 1 cookie on top of each cupcake; insert 4 licorice pieces into frosting on each side of cookie for the spider’s legs. Use reserved frosting to attach chocolate pieces to tops of cookies for the spiders’ eyes.
Scary Skull Cakes
Gruesome, ghoulish and good enough to eat. Keep the ingredients on hand – you’ll be making more.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
- 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla flavor instant pudding
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar, sifted
- 12 large marshmallows, cut in half
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Prepare cake batter as directed on package; blend in dry pudding mix. Spoon into 24 paper-lined 2-1/2-inch muffin cups. Bake as directed on package for cupcakes. Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add sugar gradually, beating well after each addition.
- Pull each cupcake liner partially away from cake. Place a marshmallow half between paper and cupcake to create skull’s jaw. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese mixture. Decorate with chocolate chips.
Monster Mash Monster Cake
The brilliance of this cute cake is that you don’t need a knife to help yourself to a slice. Use the same basic idea and assemble the cupcakes into any shape you like to make anything from a jack-o’-lantern to a ghost or even a black cat.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
- 1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla flavor instant pudding
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 6 drops green food coloring
- 1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar, sifted (4 to 4 1/2 cups)
- 1 tube (0.75 oz.) black decorating gel
- 8 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
- 3 miniature marshmallows, cut in half
- black decorating gel
Directions
- Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes, blending dry pudding mix into batter before spooning into paper-lined cups. Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and food coloring in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.
- Arrange cupcakes on platter or tray to resemble a monster’s head; spread with frosting. Use decorating gel to outline the eyes, mouth, scars and hairline on cupcakes. Fill in hair with cookie crumbs. Place 1 marshmallow half in center of each eye; place remaining marshmallow halves in mouth for teeth. Keep refrigerated.
