Description
Celebrate Halloween with these spooky and delicious Halloween Cupcakes featuring a moist strawberry cake base, topped with a rich strawberry buttercream piped to resemble creepy zombie brains, and finished with a drizzle of strawberry syrup for a ghoulish effect.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 box strawberry cake mix (15.25 ounces, plus oil, water, and eggs as required)
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
Decoration
- 1/4 cup strawberry syrup (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Prepare Cupcakes: Use the strawberry cake mix to make 24 cupcakes according to the package instructions, incorporating the necessary oil, water, and eggs. Bake then let them cool completely before decorating to ensure the frosting doesn’t melt.
- Make Buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened unsalted butter on medium speed until fluffy and smooth. Add the strawberry jam and continue mixing on medium speed until fully incorporated.
- Add Powdered Sugar: While mixing on medium-low speed, gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time until all is fully incorporated, creating a smooth and thick buttercream.
- Flavor and Salt: Add vanilla extract and a pinch of kosher salt to the buttercream, then mix on medium speed until everything is well combined and smooth.
- Frost Cupcakes: Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of the strawberry buttercream onto the top of each cupcake. This base layer doesn’t have to be perfect as it serves as the foundation for the piped decoration.
- Pipe Zombie Brain Design: Transfer the remaining buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a small round frosting tip. Pipe a curved line resembling an ‘L’ shape down the center of each cupcake. Then pipe swirls and squiggles extending from that line to cover half of the cupcake’s surface, mimicking the look of a brain. Repeat the process on the other half to complete the design.
- Final Touch: Arrange the cupcakes on a rimmed serving tray and lightly drizzle with strawberry syrup to create a fresh-from-the-zombie-apocalypse blood effect. For best results, drizzle the syrup just before serving.
- Storage: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Apply the strawberry syrup drizzle only when ready to serve to preserve the fresh look.
Notes
- Skip the store-bought decorations. These homemade Halloween Cupcakes use strawberry cake, rich buttercream, and a smart piping trick to create creepy, crawly brains with minimal effort.
- A drizzle of strawberry syrup makes the cupcakes look like fresh-from-the-zombie-apocalypse treats.
- The frosting base layer doesn’t need to be perfect since the piped buttercream will cover it entirely.
- To keep cupcakes fresh and maintain decoration quality, add the strawberry syrup drizzle just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 33 g
- Sodium: 126 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
