These easy Halloween cupcakes are both fun to make and delicious eat! This post has plenty of ideas on how to decorate your cupcakes for Halloween and a simple cupcake recipe.
1/2cupwarm water(you can also use leftover coffee or add in some espresso for a heightened chocolate flavor)
1/2cupwalnuts,finely chopped
1/3cupminiature chocolate-chips
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2cupunsalted butterat room temperature
1package (8 ounces)full-fat cream cheese,at room temperature
1/2teaspoonvanilla bean paste(or use 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
1/8teaspoonfine sea salt
3cupspowdered sugar
Decorating
GHOST:miniature chocolate chips and #24 tip
PURPLE MONSTER:purple food coloring, edible eyes, and #17 tip
GREEN MONSTER:green food color, edible eyes, toothpicks, miniature marshmallows, and #17 tip
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a cupcake pan with liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork. Add in the sour cream, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Stir until completely combined.
In another large bowl, add in the cake mix and pudding mix. Stir. Add in the chocolate chips and walnuts and stir until they are lightly coated in the dry ingredients. Add dry to wet. Add in the water and mix until just combined.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4ths the way full (batter should yield 24 cupcakes). Bake for 18-23 minutes or until a fork when inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
Remove and allow to completely cool before frosting.
Frosting
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Using a hand mixer, cream together the room temperature butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until completely smooth. Mix in vanilla extract and sea salt. With mixer running on low speed, slowly add powdered sugar and beat until well blended and smooth. Chill the frosting while the cupcakes finish cooling.
Frost completely cooled cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and decorate to look like Halloween creatures: FOR THE GHOST: Pipe the cream cheese frosting (using a plain #24 piping tip) onto the cupcake in an upside-down cone shape. Place two mini chocolate chips near the top of the frosting for the eyes!
FOR THE GREEN MONSTER: Dye the cream cheese frosting green and using a #17 tip create short quick actions (while applying pressure) to add “fur” to the cupcake. Add edible eyes wherever you want on top!
FOR THE PURPLE MONSTER: Dye the cream cheese frosting purple and using a #17 tip create short quick actions (while applying pressure) to add “fur” to the cupcake. Using the frosting, pipe a short action on two marshmallows and attach 2 edible eyes. Using toothpicks, attach the marshmallows to the cupcakes.