This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
Adorably spooky Halloween Cupcakes with five different designs! Whether you want creepy spiders, wicked witches, happy pumpkins, festive Mickeys, or googly-eyed monsters, I’ve got you covered with these easy Halloween cupcakes. I’m not a cake decorator, so if I can make these so can you!
Easy Halloween Cupcakes Anyone Can Make
I am so excited to share these quick and easy Halloween cupcakes with you today! If you’ve been looking for cupcake ideas for a Halloween party, I’ve created five different sweet cupcake toppers that are so easy anyone can make them.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Half the challenge with decorating cupcakes is having the right tools, so you will find everything you need in this post to make these! From frosting to food coloring to tips and Halloween cupcake decorations – it’s all here!
These five designs range from really, really easy to easy! Anyone can make them, and with my tips, they’ll look like a pro made them. Plus, you can make the frosting and cupcakes from scratch or use your favorite cupcake mix and canned frosting to make it even easier.
Basic Ingredients
- You will need 24 cupcakes baked and cooled. You can make any flavor you like!
- You will also need two batches of homemade vanilla buttercream frosting, or you can use four cans of vanilla frosting instead.
- Depending on which cupcakes you make, you may need some chocolate frosting, which you can make or use store-bought. Peanut Butter frosting is great too, depending on what design you’re making.
Cupcake Recipes
- Homemade chocolate cupcakes recipe – my favorite one to use!
- Vanilla Cupcakes are always a classic
- Red Velvet Cupcakes are fun too!
- Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes are perfect for fall
Basic Supplies
- Piping bags
- Wilton piping tips (see the list under each design for specific tips)
- Gel food coloring
- Oreo cookies
- Candy eyes (I’m a total sucker for Halloween cupcakes with eyes!)
These are just the general items you will need for all of the cupcake designs. Be sure to note the specific items for each design, including piping tips, frosting colors, and candy or cookies.
How to Make Jack-O-Lantern Cupcakes
- Orange gel food coloring
- Green gel food coloring
- ½ can chocolate frosting or use black food coloring
- Wilton #47 tip
- Wilton #5 tip
- Wilton #106 tip
- If you use my pumpkin cupcakes recipe you’d have pumpkin flavored Pumpkin Halloween Cupcakes!
How to Make Witch Cupcakes
- Green gel food coloring – Color about two cups (or one can) of frosting green.
- Purple gel food coloring
- Wilton Open Star Tip: 1M tip
- Oreo cookies for the base of the hat
- Hershey’s Kisses to make the tip of the hat
How to Make Spider Cupcakes
- White frosting
- Chocolate frosting for the legs using a Wilton #5 tip
- Oreos for the base of the spider body.
- Candy Eyes
How to Make Monster Cupcakes
- Purple and/or gel food coloring (or any colors)
- Wilton Open Star Tip: 1M tip
- Candy eyes – They’re spooky halloween cupcakes with eyes!!
How to Make Copycat Mickey Halloween Cupcakes
These are also called Mickey Candy Corn Cupcakes!
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- How to store cupcakes: Store the cupcakes loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze leftover cupcakes for up to 3 months.
- How to make cupcakes ahead: bake the cupcakes up to a month ahead and freeze. Thaw before frosting.
FAQs
I always use gel food coloring because the colors are always vibrant.
Yes, my homemade vanilla buttercream recipe is perfect for these cupcakes. You will need to make a double batch.
The easiest ones to make are the monster cupcakes.
Halloween Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 chocolate cupcakes baked and cooled
For the Spider Cupcakes:
- ½ can chocolate frosting
- Oreos
- Candy Eyes
For the Witch Cupcakes:
- Green Gel Food Coloring
- Purple Gel Food Coloring
- Oreos
- Hershey’s Kisses
For the Pumpkin Cupcakes:
- Orange Gel Food Coloring
- Green Gel Food Coloring
- ½ can chocolate frosting
For the Monster Cupcakes:
- Purple Gel Food Coloring
- Green Gel Food Coloring
- Candy Eyes
For the Mickey Halloween Cupcakes:
- Orange Gel Food Coloring
- Yellow Gel Food Coloring
- Chocolate Candy Melts or Mini Oreos
Instructions
- Decide what designs you’re going to make and assemble the items you need.
- Spider Cupcakes: Frost each cupcake with white frosting. Place chocolate frosting in a piping bag with a Wilton #5 tip. Pipe 4 legs on each side of the cupcake. Press an Oreo in the center. Pipe two dots of frosting in the center of the Oreo and add two small candy eyes.
- Witch Cupcakes: Dye one can (about 2 cups) of frosting green. Use a Wilton 1M tip to pipe a flat swirl on the cupcake. Top with an Oreo. Add a bit more frosting and then top with an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss. (If desired, use a different color frosting for that part, I used purple).
- Pumpkin Cupcakes: Frost one can (about 2 cups) of frosting orange. Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #47 tip. Pipe stripes onto the cupcake with the flat edge of the tip pointing up. Add chocolate frosting to a bag fitted with a #5 tip and pipe the face. Use green frosting with tip #106 for the stem.
- For the Monster Cupcakes: Color a can (2 cups) frosting purple and another can green (or any colors you want). Frost cupcakes using a 1M tip and place candy eyes randomly over the frosting.
- For the Mickey Halloween Cupcakes: Color 1/3 of the frosting yellow, 1/3 orange and leave the rest white. Use three piping bags with 1M tips. Frost a flat yellow swirl on each cupcake. Chill 10 minutes. Repeat with orange, then chill, then repeat with white. Press two candy melts or mini Oreos on the frosting to resemble Mickey ears.
- Store cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- My vanilla buttercream will work great but if you’re short on time or want easy, use the canned frosting.
- You can make chocolate frosting to use for the pumpkins and spiders, or buy a can to save time.
- For the purple and green, check out the baking aisle because some brands of canned frosting sell colors (sold with sprinkles you can set aside for another use). It’s easier than trying to color the frosting.
- I recommend using Gel food coloring (Wilton or similar) because it won’t thin the icing to get the vibrant colors you want like regular food coloring will.
- My vanilla cupcake or red velvet cupcakes would be good here too. Or pumpkin cupcakes!
Recipe Nutrition
Learn how to make Halloween Cupcakes! These easy, cute, fun and spooky ideas for 5 different cupcake decorations are simple to do, no fail and anyone can make them. Kids will love these!
Fun Halloween Desserts
Last Updated on October 9, 2023
