Have a fun, festive, & spooky holiday with these Easy Halloween Cupcakes. The cute & scary decorating ideas are so simple for kids and adults. This no-fuss Halloween dessert is the best last minute recipe.
Why this Halloween Cupcake Recipe is Amazing: No need to make everything from scratch. A boxed mix, premade frosting some sprinkles, & Halloween candies makes this super easy.
This is the ultimate DIY cupcake recipe. The basic chocolate cake and frosting pairing can be finished with any design, theme, holiday, or event.
This is just one of many Easy Halloween Desserts I share here. Similar to my Gummy Worm Dirt Brownies, this is all about your creepy creativity. Ok, now we bake & decorate!
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Ingredients for Halloween Cupcakes using Boxed Cake Mix
Nothing fancy here. This one is for the whole family - teaching little ones to use a boxed mix, measure, & follow instructions is a great way to introduce baking skills to kids.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Chocolate Box Cake Mix - any brand will do: Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Wal-Mart/Target etc.
- Eggs,Oil, etc - whatever additional ingredients needed per the cake mix instructions
- Chocolate Frosting - premade canned any brand will do: Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, etc.
- Sprinkles - Halloween themed if bright colors like green, orange, purple or black; rainbow confetti/nonpareils, chocolate jimmies, etc.
- Autumn Mix - soft chewy pumpkins and candy corn
- Gummy Candies (sweet or sour) - worms, bears, skulls etc.
- Candy Eyes - these are the most fun - any size!
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Bake & Decorate Cupcakes for Halloween
What I love most about this recipe, this is what to make when your kid forgets to tell you they need something for school, bake sale, etc and it's the night before Halloween or the party! (you know we have all been there)
Most of the ingredients are pantry staples. Plus you have sprinkles from past holidays or Halloween candy already in your house as you ready for the trick-or-treating.
Here are the easy steps for chocolate cupcakes with Halloween decorations:
- Mix & Bake the Cupcakes
- Frost & Decorate
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Mix & Bake the Cupcakes
Grab your boxed cake mix and the ingredients listed on the back needed to complete the recipe. This is typically 2-3 eggs, some vegetable oil, and water.
Preheat the oven per the box for cupcakes (often 350°F). This is often the same temperature but the timing is different per cake size/shape.
In a mixing bowl, make the batter per the box. I also recommend prepping the cupcake/muffin pan liners that have been sprayed with nonstick spray.
Top Tip! yes use both - I find cupcakes stick to the liners 90% of the time which is a huge bummer.
Fill the cupcake liners with the chocolate batter. Fill ¾ of the way up for recommended bakery-style height.
Bake in the preheated oven according to the box instructions. Cupcakes take between 15-20 minutes on average.
2 - Frost & Decorate
Once the cupcakes are done baking - let them rest in the pan for a few minutes. When cool enough to safely remove from the pan, place each one on a baking rack to continue cooling.
When they are completely cool, frost them with your canned icing.
Here are a few decorating ideas using the Autumn Mix with candy corns, sprinkles, candy googly silly eyes and more.
SILLY FACE - candy corn nose and two candy eyes.
MONSTER FACE - candy corn horns and big candy eyes.
PUMPKIN PATCH - chocolate jimmies and a pumpkin soft candy on top.
HALLOWEEN VIBES - all the colored sprinkles & gummy skulls or any candies.
Serving & Storing
Once frosted & decorated, enjoy! These are best eaten the same day you finish them so the cake is moist, the icing is creamy/smooth & the candies stay fresh.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe. For storing up to 3 days, unfrosted cupcakes can stay in an air-tight container on the counter or in the pantry. For frosted items, safely store in the fridge for a day for best results.
This is a must-make every Fall for the spooky holiday. Along with a batch of Candy Corn Martinis, the combination is great for your adult costume party.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - no rules! Bake any cupcake, use any frosting/icing, & go all out on all the sprinkles, candies, & chocolates. Go WILD!
- #2 Tip - use both cupcake liners and nonstick spray them so the cupcakes don't stick.
- Depending on how big each is filled, this will yield between 20-24 cupcakes.
- Bake them no more than 2 days before serving & frost/decorate the same day for best results.
- Check out other Holiday Recipe Ideas so all year long you enjoy baking or cooking something celebratory.
- If you enjoyed this recipe & love getting creative, my Halloween Candy Bark Recipe is also for you.
FAQ
Yes, use your favorite box. Try other flavors too, white, yellow, etc. This recipe is more a guide on baking something easy & having the effort go towards the enjoyment of decorating.
You can also purchase some toppers like these edible halloween cupcake decorations ( witch hats, ghosts...)
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Easy Halloween Cupcakes (How to Decorate)
Equipment
- cupcake/muffin pan
- cupcake liners
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker etc
- eggs, oil, water per the box instructions
- 1 can chocolate frosting Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker etc
- Chocolate sprinkles or jimmies
- Halloween sprinkles
- Autumn Mix Candies or candy corn
- Gummy candies sweet or sour - worms, bears, etc
- Any other candies or sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare the cake mix per the instructions on the box. Preheat the oven per the box temperature information.This typically means adding cake mix, eggs, oil and water to a mixing bowl and stirring or using an electric mixer until smooth.1 box chocolate cake mix, eggs, oil, water
- In a muffin pan add cupcake liners. Spray them with nonstick spray - yes both to ensure nothing sticks. Fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way.
- Bake the cupcakes in the oven per the box instructions. This typically is between 15-20minutes. Once a toothpick comes out clean from the center of a cupcake they are ready.
- Let them rest in the pan a few minutes. Once cool enough, remove each from the pan to a baking rack to cool.
- When the cupcakes are 100% cool, frost them with canned frosting.1 can chocolate frosting
- Top with sprinkles, candies, etc. Decorate each per the images above for inspiration. See recipe card Notes below for some of those ideas.Chocolate sprinkles or jimmies, Halloween sprinkles , Autumn Mix Candies, Gummy candies , Any other candies or sprinkles
Notes
- Silly/Scary Face - add candy eyes and candy corn for a nose
- Monster Face - add candy eyes and stand up candy corns for horns
- Pumpkin Patch - cover in chocolate sprinkles with a pumpkin candy on top
- DIY - anything and everything goes!
More Halloween Dessert Recipes
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