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Easy Decorated Halloween Cupcakes Recipe

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Learn how to create fun and festive Halloween cupcakes with three unique decorated designs: monsters, jack-o’-lanterns, and spiders. This recipe uses your favorite cupcake base—pumpkin cupcakes are featured—and features a rich vanilla buttercream tinted with gel food coloring to transform ordinary cupcakes into a spooky, playful treat perfect for Halloween parties or festive celebrations.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 12 pumpkin cupcakes or your favorite cupcake recipe

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 6 cups (720g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 6 Tablespoons (60ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Salt, to taste (about 1/8 teaspoon)

Monster Cupcakes

  • Gel food coloring: Leaf Green, Fuchsia + Violet, Super Black
  • 2 piping bags
  • 2 couplers
  • Small open star piping tip (e.g., Wilton #21)
  • Small candy eyeballs
  • Large candy eyeballs
  • Optional: sprinkles

Jack-o’-Lantern Cupcakes

  • Gel food coloring: Orange, Leaf Green, Super Black
  • 3 piping bags
  • Piping tips: Wilton #125 (large petal), Wilton #21 (small open star), small round tip (e.g., Wilton #4)

Spider Cupcakes

  • Gel food coloring: Super Black
  • 1 piping bag
  • Small round piping tip (e.g., Wilton #4)
  • Oreo Mini cookies
  • Mini candy eyeballs

Instructions

  1. Make the vanilla buttercream: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until creamy. Add 5 and 1/2 cups (660g) of confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds; then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 minutes. Taste and add about 1/8 teaspoon of salt if too sweet. To remove air bubbles, stir by hand with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon for 1–2 minutes, pressing the frosting against the bowl.
  2. Adjust consistency: If the frosting is too thin, add up to 1/2 cup (60g) more confectioners’ sugar. If too thick, add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time, beating between additions, until the desired consistency is reached.
  3. Tint the frosting: Divide the buttercream into as many bowls as colors needed (five bowls if making all designs). Tint each with gel food coloring until you reach desired shades. Keep one bowl white for spider cupcakes. To tone down bright colors, add a tiny dot of black gel food coloring and stir well.
  4. Decorate Green Monster Cupcakes: Fit a piping bag with a small open star tip (Wilton #21) and a coupler if desired. Fill with green frosting. Pipe a spiral from the outside to the center of the cupcake, and press a large candy eyeball in the middle.
  5. Decorate Purple Monster Cupcakes: Use a piping bag with a small open star tip (Wilton #21). Fill with purple frosting. Pipe stars all over the cupcake surface. Press small candy eyeballs into the frosting and finish with sprinkles, if desired.
  6. Decorate Jack-o’-Lantern Cupcakes: Fit three piping bags with different tips: large petal tip (#125) for orange frosting, small open star tip (#21) for green frosting, and small round tip (#4) for black frosting. Pipe rounded vertical pumpkin sections in orange, alternating sides, then pipe a green stem on top. Use black frosting to create eyes, nose, and a mouth, shaping it spooky or goofy.
  7. Decorate Spider Cupcakes: Spread white frosting evenly over the cupcake with a small offset spatula or knife. Using black frosting in a piping bag with a small round tip (#4), pipe three straight, criss-crossing lines across the top to form six triangular sections. Connect these with slightly curved lines to create a web. Place half of a mini Oreo cookie on the web to form the spider body. Pipe two small black dots for eyes, then place two mini candy eyeballs on those dots. Finish by piping eight black legs—four on each side of the Oreo.
  8. Storage: Store decorated cupcakes uncovered at room temperature for a few hours before serving. For leftovers, cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Use a cupcake carrier for transportation and storage.

Notes

  • These cupcakes are best served the same day they are decorated as the candy eyeballs’ pupils may become runny over time.
  • If decorating the night before, store cupcakes uncovered to prevent moisture buildup.
  • Cupcakes can be baked a day in advance and stored covered at room temperature; decorate on the day of serving for best results.
  • For smooth confectioners’ sugar, sift 1-2 times before measuring.
  • Use heavy cream for the creamiest frosting; half-and-half or whole milk works but yields less creamy results. Ensure liquids are at room temperature to avoid separation or graininess.
  • Recommended tools include an electric mixer (handheld or stand), silicone spatula or wooden spoon, piping bags and tips, and a cupcake carrier.

Find it online: http://bitezly.com/easy-decorated-halloween-cupcakes-recipe-2/