Description
These easy Halloween cupcakes are spooky-fun, bakery-style treats that come together in under an hour! Featuring a swirl of orange and white frosting, a sprinkle “shelf,” and festive decorations, they’re perfect for parties, classrooms, or cozy fall nights.
Ingredients
12 chocolate cupcakes, cooled completely (homemade or boxed mix)
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature for fluffier frosting)
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (for smooth texture)
3–4 tablespoons heavy cream (adjust for consistency)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (adds rich bakery-style flavor)
Gel food coloring: orange + black (for bold Halloween hues)
½ cup Halloween sprinkles (mix of shapes, colors, and textures)
Piping bags + large star tips (for bakery-perfect swirls)
Instructions
Prepare cupcakes: Bake and cool your chocolate cupcakes completely before decorating.
Make buttercream: Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with cream, until fluffy. Mix in vanilla.
Tint frosting: Divide buttercream in half — color one portion orange, leave the other white.
Create sprinkle shelf: Spread a thin ring of black frosting around each cupcake’s edge and dip into sprinkles.
Pipe the swirl: Fill a piping bag with orange and white frosting side by side. Using a large star tip, pipe tall, even swirls.
Decorate: Top with extra sprinkles or candy eyes. Chill briefly before serving for clean lines.
Notes
Storage: Keep in an airtight container up to 3 days in the fridge. Bring to room temp before serving.
Color Variations: Swap orange and white for purple and green for a witchy vibe.
Make Ahead: Bake cupcakes a day in advance; frost the day you serve.
Pro Tip: Use gel food coloring to prevent runny frosting and keep colors bright.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 42g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
