Halloween Cupcake Ideas

Whether you’re a beginning baker or an expert, these cupcake ideas make for a deliciously spooky treat. They’re great whether used for school Halloween parties, just for fun with your kids, or to take to neighbors.

The base of each of these recipes is our AP Classic Creme Cake & Muffin Mix 4 lb. Bag (#1823). It’s an AP customer favorite for a reason! This is a professional bakery product but better than most bakeries. It’s delicious as is, but one of our favorite things about it is how easily we can change the flavor. Mix in cocoa powder or chocolate pudding for chocolate cake, sprinles for funfetti, carrots for carrot cake, etc. Take it from Crystal Plante, a customer in Hill City, KS, who shared, “The opportunities with this mix are endless! It makes a fantastic cake on its own but is easy to jazz up with additional flavors. It is also great for cookies, muffins, and as a crumble topping for cobblers. I especially like that I can control the size of the batch. A great buy!”

Moist chocolate cupcakes topped with red frosting for a sweet (and spooky) Halloween dessert.

Gooey Brain Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups AP Classic Creme Cake & Muffin Mix (#1823)
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup Ambrosia High Fat Baking Cocoa (#2498)
• 14 thin Oreo cookies, crumbled

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling (#1914)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup C & H Powdered Sugar (#1151)
• 2 cups cool whip topping, thawed
• Red food coloring

Instructions:

1. First, preheat oven to 350F.
2. Next, combine eggs, oil, & water. Add 1/2 liquid to bowl. Then, add mix and cocoa, blending with a mixer for three minutes. Slowly add the remaining liquids while mixing, then add the Oreo crumbles. Continue to mix for two more minutes.
3. Now, line Norpro Muffin Pan (#2827) with Standard Wax Baking Cups (#1646). Use a Crestware Scoop (#3838) to fill 24 lined wells 1/2-3/4 of the way (you may need to do two batches if you have one pan).
4. Then, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
5. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a Crestware Cooling Rack (#1145) to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by beating together the pudding mix, milk, powdered sugar. Add the cool whip and food coloring, then transfer to a Ateco Decorating Bag (#2817).
7. Pipe onto the top of the cooled cupcakes in zigzags, starting in the center, to resemble brains. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Adapted from: https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/brands/kraft-jello/recipe/127205/gooey-brain-cupcakes?categoryid=20001

Chocolate cupcakes topped with frosting and Oreo Spiders are an easy way to have your kids help in the kitchen for Halloween.

Creepy Crawly Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups AP Classic Creme Cake & Muffin Mix (#1823)
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup Ambrosia High Fat Baking Cocoa (#2498)
• 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding & Pie Filling (#1913)
• Janey Lou’s Cream Cheese Icing (#8388)
• Orange food coloring
• 24 Oreo cookies
• 12 black lictorice strings
• 48 M&M Candies (#2081)

Instructions:

1. First, preheat oven to 350F.
2. Next, combine eggs, oil, & water. Add 1/2 liquid to bowl. Then, add mix, cocoa, and pudding, blending with a mixer for three minutes. Slowly add the remaining liquids while mixing, then add the Oreo crumbles. Continue to mix for two more minutes.
3. Now, line Norpro Muffin Pan (#2827) with Standard Wax Baking Cups (#1646). Use a Crestware Scoop (#3838) to fill 24 lined wells 1/2-3/4 of the way (you may need to do two batches if you have one pan).
4. Then, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
5. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a Crestware Cooling Rack (#1145) to cool completely.
6. Add a few drops of orange food coloring to the icing, then spread onto each cooled cupcake.
7. Now, decorate by placing an Oreo on top of each cupcake. Add the legs by gently sticking 4 2 inch licorice pieces on each side. Then, attach the eyes by placing a dot of icing on the back of an M&M and carefully push onto the Oreo.

Adapted from: https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/brands/kraft-jello/recipe/094567/spider-cupcakes

Frankenstein Cupcakes with a surprise in the middle! Stuffed with a pudding mixture and topped with a sprinkled marshmallow, these are perfect for Halloween parties. Try double stacking the cupcake liners with a Halloween patter for a simple, festive look.

Frankenstein Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups AP Classic Creme Cake & Muffin Mix (#1823)
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tup Cool Whip
• 24 large marshmallows
• 1/4 cup sugar + green food coloring
• Black decorating gel
• 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling (#1914)
• 1 cup milk
• 2-3 drops green food coloring

Instructions:

1. First, preheat oven to 350F.
2. Next, combine eggs, oil, & water. Add 1/2 liquid to bowl. Then, add the mix, blending with a mixer for three minutes. Slowly add the remaining liquids while mixing, then add the Oreo crumbles. Continue to mix for two more minutes.
3. Now, line Norpro Muffin Pan (#2827) with Standard Wax Baking Cups (#1646). Use a Crestware Scoop (#3838) to fill 24 lined wells 1/2-3/4 of the way (you may need to do two batches if you have one pan).
4. Then, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
5. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a Crestware Cooling Rack (#1145) to cool completely.
6. For the marshmallows: add 1/3 cup of the cool whip and the mallows to a Ziplock Gallon Bag (#1979). Toss until evenly coated. Then, toss one mallow at a time in the green sugar. Use the decorating gel to create the faces.
7. Now, beat the pudding and milk with a whisk for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the cool whip, and stir until combined. Then, transfer 1 1/2 cups into a small bowl. Add green food coloring, then transfer to a Ateco Decorating Bag (#2817). Pipe the mixture into the center of each cupcake, then use a frosting on top. Add the marshmallows, and enjoy!

Adapted from: https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/brands/kraft-jello/recipe/075645/slimy-monster-cupcakes

Moist vanilla cupcakes topped with cream cheese icing, decorated as skulls with chocolate chips. Use M&M Candies (#2081) or Dawn White Flat Icing (#1910) with food coloring to decorate for Day of the Dead.

Skull Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups AP Classic Creme Cake & Muffin Mix (#1823)
• 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding & Pie Filling (#1914)
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• Janey Lou’s Cream Cheese Icing (#8388)
• 12 marshmallows, cut in half
• 3/4 cup Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (#2781)

Instructions:

1. First, preheat oven to 350F.
2. Next, combine eggs, oil, & water. Add 1/2 liquid to bowl. Then, add the cake mix and pudding mix, blending with a mixer for three minutes. Slowly add the remaining liquids while mixing, then add the Oreo crumbles. Continue to mix for two more minutes.
3. Now, line Norpro Muffin Pan (#2827) with Standard Wax Baking Cups (#1646). Use a Crestware Scoop (#3838) to fill 24 lined wells 1/2-3/4 of the way (you may need to do two batches if you have one pan).
4. Then, bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
5. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a Crestware Cooling Rack (#1145) to cool completely.
6. To create the skulls, partially pull the liner away from the cupcake. Place a marshmallow to create the jaw.
7. Now, to decorate, frost with the cream cheese icing. Arrange the chocolate chips as desired.

Adapted from: https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/brands/kraft-jello/recipe/094566/skull-cupcakes

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