You know those party desserts that make everyone stop and say: “Oh my gosh, did you make these?!” — yep, this is one of those. These Halloween Monster Cupcakes are spooky, silly, colorful, and so much fun to make.
Soft chocolate cupcakes (you can use a mix — no shame here!) get piled high with neon buttercream frosting, candy eyeballs, sprinkles, and even goofy little “teeth.” Perfect for kids’ Halloween parties, office potlucks, spooky movie nights, or just a fun weekend project.
If you love playful holiday bakes like my Witch Hat Brownies or Candy Corn Blondies, you’re going to adore these monster cuties.
✅ Quick Tip:
✔️ Tint your frosting a day ahead to deepen the colors and save time on party day!
⭐ Little Bakers Can Help:
- Stir the batter
- Tint frosting (and get messy!)
- Add the candy eyes & sprinkles
This gives kids a chance to join the fun!
🧁 Halloween Monster Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (or your favorite homemade chocolate cupcake recipe)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring: purple, green, orange, black
For decorating:
- Candy eyeballs (various sizes)
- Halloween sprinkles
- Mini marshmallows
- Black licorice strings
- M&Ms or chocolate chips
Instructions
1️⃣ Bake the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with Halloween-themed cupcake liners. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, filling each liner about 2/3 full. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
2️⃣ Make the buttercream:
Beat softened butter on medium-high speed until creamy and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with milk, and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla.
3️⃣ Color the frosting:
Divide frosting into 3 or 4 bowls. Tint each bowl with a different Halloween color: vibrant purple, slime green, pumpkin orange, or even black.
4️⃣ Frost & decorate:
Pipe or generously spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Add candy eyeballs (the more, the sillier!), sprinkles, marshmallow “teeth,” licorice “hair,” or anything else that makes your monsters unique.
5️⃣ Have fun with it!
No two monsters should look alike — let your creativity run wild.
👻 Serving Tips:
- Arrange your monster cupcakes on a black cake stand with fake cobwebs and mini pumpkins.
- Place each cupcake in a clear treat bag with a festive ribbon for party favors.
- Create a cupcake “graveyard” display with cookie tombstones and candy bones.
🧟 Creative Variations:
- Make mini cupcakes for bite-sized monsters — great for little hands.
- Swap buttercream for cream cheese frosting for a tangy twist.
- Gluten-free? Just use a GF cake mix and check decorations are gluten-free too!
👾 Monster Personality Guide
Part of the fun of making these cupcakes is that each little monster takes on its own personality. Here are a few of my favorites — but feel free to invent your own!
- Googly Gary: All eyeballs, no chill. Loves to stare at everyone at the party.
- Toothy Tina: Orange frosting and marshmallow teeth — she’s got a bite!
- Hairy Harry: With licorice hair and crazy eyes, he’s the life of the graveyard.
- Grumpy Gus: Black frosting and a big frown — just here for the candy.
- Sprinkle Sally: Covered head to toe in sprinkles, she’s a little extra.
- Slimey Sid: Neon green frosting, gummy worms, and a slimy good time.
Name your monsters, give them their own little stories, and don’t forget to tag me when you share them — I love seeing your creations!
😱 Troubleshooting:
- Frosting too soft? Chill it for 15–20 minutes, then beat again.
- Colors too pale? Use gel coloring and add gradually for vibrant shades.
- Cupcakes sinking? Don’t overmix the batter and make sure your oven is fully preheated.
🪄 Storage:
- Store decorated cupcakes in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate up to 5 days — bring to room temp before serving.
- Freeze undecorated cupcakes up to 3 months. Thaw and decorate the day you serve them.
Halloween Monster Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix or your favorite homemade chocolate cupcake recipe
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 –3 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring: purple green, orange, black
For decorating:
- Candy eyeballs various sizes
- Halloween sprinkles
- Mini marshmallows
- Black licorice strings
- M&Ms or chocolate chips
Instructions
1️⃣ Bake the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with Halloween-themed cupcake liners. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, filling each liner about 2/3 full. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
2️⃣ Make the buttercream:
- Beat softened butter on medium-high speed until creamy and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with milk, and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla.
3️⃣ Color the frosting:
- Divide frosting into 3 or 4 bowls. Tint each bowl with a different Halloween color: vibrant purple, slime green, pumpkin orange, or even black.
4️⃣ Frost & decorate:
- Pipe or generously spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Add candy eyeballs (the more, the sillier!), sprinkles, marshmallow “teeth,” licorice “hair,” or anything else that makes your monsters unique.
5️⃣ Have fun with it!
- No two monsters should look alike — let your creativity run wild.
Notes
- You can use a white cake mix and tint the cake batter different colors for a surprise inside.
- Make buttercream a day in advance and keep it in the fridge — bring to room temp before using.
- Love a taller swirl of frosting? Double the buttercream recipe.
💬 If you make these, I’d love to see your monster creations — tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can admire your spooky squad! 🧁👻
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