Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes

Everyone will have their eye on these eerie Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes!

There are so many creative Halloween party treats, like these Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes! It's such a simple recipe, and the kids will love helping with the decorating. The spooky-sweet chocolate cupcake is frosted with layers of colorful buttercream frosting, and topped with a gummy candy eyeball. These cupcakes are always a hit for kids of all ages at Halloween parties at home and in the classroom.

Mix up the cupcake batter until all of the ingredients are combined. If you're feeling creative, you can add in additional ingredients, like chocolate chips, nuts, or even marshmallows! Use a large scoop to fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full and bake according to recipe directions. Once baked, cool completely on a wire rack.

While the cupcakes are baking, whip up the vanilla buttercream frosting (literally). Once mixed, separate the frosting into three separate bowls and color them purple, green, and a dark pink using neon food coloring. Scoop the frosting into three piping bags. The pink one will need a 3A decorating tip, and the purple and green frosting bags will need a 1A decorating tip.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, it's time to get them decorated! Even if you are new to working with frosting, this cupcake is incredibly easy to decorate. Start in the center of a cupcake and use a steady, even, and gentle pressure to squeeze purple frosting in a circular motion to cover the surface of each of the cupcakes.

Pipe a second and smaller ring of green frosting on top of the purple frosting.

Alternate two more rings of purple and green frosting, making each one smaller than the one below it so that you create a cone-like shape of frosting. If you prefer less frosting on your cupcakes, you can omit these two layers.

Lastly, pipe the dark pink frosting on top to create blood-like drips around the top of the frosting rings.

Remove the Trolli Glotzer gummy eye candy from the packaging. Gently press the eyeball into the frosting so that it's peeking out of the top. Repeat the process for the remaining cupcakes. 

Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients:

• 15.25 oz triple chocolate cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
• 1 ¼ cup whole milk

Chocolate Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Line a cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine all cupcake ingredients and beat until combined and smooth.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full.
5. Bake 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before decorating.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 ½ c unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
• 5 ½ c powdered sugar
• 3 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
• Neon gel food coloring - purple, green, pink

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Directions:

1. Use a stand mixer with paddle attachment to beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy whipping cream until combined and stiffened consistency.
2. Scoop 1 ½ cups frosting into 3 small mixing bowls.
3. In the first bowl, add a few drops of neon purple food coloring and mix until evenly blended.
4. In the second bowl, add a few drops of neon green food coloring and mix until evenly blended
5. In the third bowl, add a few drops of neon pink food coloring and one or two drops of neon purple food coloring and mix until evenly blended.
6. Fill a piping bag with a 3A tip. Scoop the purple and green frosting into a separate piping bag with 1A tip.

Cupcake Decoration Ingredients:

• Vanilla buttercream - purple, green, pink
• Trolli Glotzer Eyeball Candy

Cupcake Decorating Directions:

1. Use a steady, even, and gentle pressure to squeeze purple frosting in a circular motion to cover the surface of the cupcake.
2. Pipe a slightly smaller ring of green frosting on top of the purple frosting.
3. Alternate two more rings with the green and purple frosting to create a cone-like shape.
4. Use the pink frosting to create blood-like drips around the top of the frosting rings.
5. Remove the eyeball candy from the packaging and carefully press it onto the top of the frosting.

Tips: 

• Storage: Refrigerate cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months! Be sure that the cupcakes are completely cool, unfrosted, and are wrapped well in plastic wrap and then placed in a freezer bag. Before frosting and serving, thaw cupcakes in the fridge overnight or for a couple of hours at room temperature.

I'm so excited to make a bunch of these eerie Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes for our Halloween parties, and hope you try them for yourself! Not only are they fun and simple to make, but they are SO yummy and the kids love helping with the decorating!! If you decide to give this recipe a try, I'd love to hear all about it! Please share your creations on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest!! 

Looking for more Halloween Party inspiration?

Check out this collection of OVER 100 creative Halloween Party ideas!!

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