Dessert

Vanilla Halloween Cupcakes Recipe

ByMariam Harutyunyan October 15, 2025October 15, 2025

Introduction

These Vanilla Halloween Cupcakes are a fun and festive treat perfect for spooky celebrations. With soft vanilla cake, creamy buttercream, and optional edible “blood” or mummy decorations, they’re sure to impress kids and adults alike.

The image shows three cupcakes, each with one layer of light golden cake at the bottom, topped with a swirl of creamy off-white frosting that has a smooth, slightly wavy texture. On top of the frosting, there is a thick, deep red sauce that looks like berry syrup drizzled unevenly, some dripping down the frosting and cake edges. Each cupcake has a clear plastic syringe stuck into the frosting, filled with the same red sauce, angled differently on each cupcake. The cupcakes are in dark brown cupcake liners, placed on a white marbled surface, with a dark blurred background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

1 cup caster sugar
2 large eggs

⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Icing

100 grams butter, at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk

Edible ‘Blood’

½ cup plum or seedless raspberry jam
1 teaspoon cornflour
a few drops red food colouring

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C (regular bake) and line a standard 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Step 2: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate jug, whisk together the sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared cases, filling each about two-thirds full. Using a ‘clicky’ ice cream scoop helps make this easier.

Step 4: Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back gently when pressed in the center. Remove from the oven and cool completely before applying icing.
Step 5: For the buttercream, beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar in two additions, along with the vanilla extract and milk, beating until smooth and light.
Step 6: To make the edible “blood,” heat the jam gently in a small saucepan. Whisk the cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water, then stir into the warm jam along with a few drops of red food colouring. Simmer and stir until thickened, then chill before use.

Step 7: Trim the peak off each cupcake to make decorating easier. Pipe a swirl of buttercream on top using a piping bag with a thick nozzle for syringe “blood” cupcakes or a thin nozzle for mummy designs.
Step 8: Decorate by inserting small syringes filled with edible “blood” into some cupcakes or piping lines of icing over others to create mummy “bandages,” adding edible eyes as desired.

Tips & Variations

Use store-bought edible eyes for easy mummy cupcakes or create spooky effects with sprinkles and coloured sugar.

If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute with regular milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.
For a richer flavour, replace vegetable oil with melted butter.

Storage

Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 4 days but bring to room temperature before serving. The edible “blood” can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 1 week and reheated gently before use.

How to Serve

Three mummy-themed cupcakes are arranged vertically on a white marbled surface, each in a brown paper liner. The base layer is golden-brown cupcake, topped with thick, creamy white frosting piped in overlapping strips to look like mummy bandages. Small white candy eyes with black pupils peek through the frosting on each cupcake, placed near the center, giving a playful and slightly spooky look. The texture of the frosting is smooth and slightly glossy, contrasting with the soft cake beneath. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the cupcakes gluten-free?

Yes, you can substitute the plain flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Make sure it includes xanthan gum or add a small amount to help with texture.

How can I make the edible “blood” thicker?

If the “blood” is too thin, you can add a bit more cornflour slurry (cornflour mixed with water) and simmer until it thickens to your desired consistency. Let it cool before use.