While browsing Pinterest recently, I found a design that stopped me in my tracks. Inspired by those playful skeleton ornaments, I knew right away these needed to be turned into edible cupcakes—perfect for a Halloween party and guaranteed to give friends a good-natured fright. The original designer at smallandpissed inspired this idea, and we had fun adapting it into spooky, snackable treats.
Killer Cupcakes
Makes 8–9 cupcakes
What you’ll need:
12 cupcakes (choose a dark flavor like chocolate)
A batch of frosting
White fondant
Food gel coloring (for the eyes and detailing)
Clean, food-only paint brushes
A batch of royal icing
Begin with the fondant eyes since they can be made ahead and firm up as they dry. Roll small, consistently sized balls of white fondant. To form the irises and pupils, either use the end of a round piping tip to outline or paint freehand with a food-safe brush. Apply gel coloring for the iris, add some brown shading to create depth, and finish with a black dot for the pupil. Let the eyes dry completely before assembling; dried eyes hold their shape better when placed into the frosting.
For the cupcakes themselves, a dark base like chocolate works best because the exposed cake inside the mouth area looks more convincing. Bake a batch of your preferred chocolate cupcakes and allow them to cool completely. To create an open-mouth effect with room for teeth, stack cake wedges on one side of each cupcake to add height. Using uneven pieces gives each cupcake personality, so don’t worry about making them uniform.
Select a frosting that will hold some texture—ermine or buttercream both work—then pipe a generous mound over each cupcake using a large round tip. Build the frosting up over the added wedge so the mouth area is prominent. While the frosting is still fresh, shape the eye sockets by lifting and separating the top layer slightly and pressing the bottom layer down with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Gently press the dried fondant eyes into the hollows and smooth the frosting around them to create expressions; small adjustments will change whether a cupcake looks surprised, menacing, or goofy.
Teeth are made from a stiff royal icing to hold individual shapes. Pipe alternating teeth first—skipping every other tooth so each one is distinct—then return to fill the gaps between them. Allow the royal icing teeth to dry for several hours (about 4–5) before adding a little shaded detail with watered-down brown food coloring to define creases and give a slightly aged look.
These spooky cupcakes are a fun, creative project for Halloween gatherings. They combine simple elements—fondant eyes, textured frosting, and piped royal-icing teeth—into a memorable treat that’s as entertaining to make as it is to serve. Whether you want a collection of sinister smiles or silly faces, these cupcakes are easy to customize and perfect for sharing.
Happy baking!