These Easy Halloween Cupcakes are simple, yet fun to make. Delicious homemade vanilla cake, scrumptious buttercream frosting and SPRINKLES! That’s all it takes to make these super easy, but delicious, Halloween cupcakes.
When in doubt, bake cupcakes! Cupcakes are always my go to when I am needing something easy and festive. I love using sprinkles whenever I am baking treats for kids. Nothing, and I mean nothing makes a kid happier than a cupcake topped with lots of colorful sprinkles. With a simple piped buttercream and sprinkles, even the beginner decorator can execute these cute Halloween cupcakes with ease.
The base for this cupcake is my favorite vanilla cake recipe, light, fluffy and perfectly vanilla flavored. Vanilla cake with just a simple buttercream is always a crowd pleaser. You will love how delicious this cake recipe turns out.
More Halloween Treats
Ingredients Needed
- Butter- Real, unsalted butter is needed for both the vanilla cupcakes and the vanilla buttercream.
- Sugars- Granulated sugar for the cupcakes and powdered sugar for the buttercream. I recommend sifting the powdered sugar to ensure there are no clumps in your buttercream. Once the clumps are in the buttercream, they are almost impossible to remove.
- Eggs- It is best to use eggs that are at room temperature for better incorporation.
- Vanilla Extract- Pure vanilla extract will give both the cupcakes and the buttercream the best flavor.
- Milk & Sour Cream– Both at room temperature for better incorporation. The sour cream is an important ingredient in the cupcake recipe. Sour cream helps to add moisture to the cupcake.
- Heavy Cream- For the buttercream. Milk can be substituted if needed.
- Dry Ingredients– All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Sprinkles– I found a few different Halloween sprinkle mixes at the store and mixed them together to make the mix pictured. I also added googly eye sprinkles to some of the cupcakes.
How to Make Easy Halloween Cupcakes
It doesn’t have to take long to make really cute Halloween Cupcakes. All you have to do is wait for the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting them. Using a large (1 M Wilton) star tip makes piping the buttercream super easy. The star tip also makes the design look good without needing expert piping skills. Add some Halloween themed sprinkles and that’s it. It couldn’t be any easier.
Can I Make Cupcakes in Advance
If making these cupcakes in advance I recommend waiting to decorate them until the day you plan to serve them. You can bake the cupcakes, cool them and wrap them in plastic wrap to keep them fresh. Try to use them within 3 days for the best texture.
You can also make the buttercream frosting in advance. It will need to be set out to come up to room temperature before you can pipe it onto the cupcakes. If possible, make that frosting when you are ready to decorate the cupcakes. It’s much easier that way.
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Easy Halloween Cupcakes
These Easy Halloween Cupcakes are simple, yet fun to make. Delicious homemade vanilla cake, scrumptious buttercream frosting and SPRINKLES! That's all it takes to make these super easy, but delicious, Halloween cupcakes.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupakes
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Instructions
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Preheat an oven to 350° F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
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In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle combine the softened butter and sugar. Begin creaming the butter and sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, for 4 minutes. Or until light and fluffy. Do not rush this process.
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In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Measure out the milk, add in the sour cream and stir until fully combined. Set aside.
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Once the butter and sugar have become light and fluffy, add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
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Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mix on low just until combined. Pour in 1/3 of the milk mixture, mix on low until just combined. Continue this process until all of the flour and milk mixtures have been incorporated. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in the sprinkles.
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Scoop into the lined cupcake pan, filling each liner 1/2 way full. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
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Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment add the softened butter and begin mixing it until smooth, light and fluffy. Approximately 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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With the mixer on the lowest setting, slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed. Once all of the powdered has been added, turn the mixer speed up to next setting and mix for 1 minute.
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Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl and add in the salt, vanilla extract and heavy cream. Mix well to combine.
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Decorate Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, they are ready to be frosted. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large (1 M Wilton) open star piping tip. Frost and decorate with sprinkles. Enjoy!
Note
This recipe makes 16-18 cupcakes.
