Fun-Size Halloween Cupcakes

Real talk: You get plenty of Halloween treats at the end of October, so this easy Halloween cupcake recipe is engineered to deliver cupcakes that are a little bit hearty, with just enough sweetness to make them satisfyingly indulgent.

They come together quickly and don’t require a stand mixer or piping bags (unless you really want to go for it), so they’re great for bringing to that party your kid forgot to tell you about or an impromptu hang with all your best ghoul-friends. Transform cream cheese frosting with gel food coloring or these powders made from fruit into black and orange frosting (or go for purple and green frosting for Frankenstein’s Monster cupcakes, or keep most of it white for ghost cupcakes with candy eyes).

These cupcakes are sturdy on purpose so they can stand up to little kids decorating them at a Halloween party. While we like M&M’s, candy corn, and licorice (spider web cupcakes!), Halloween sprinkles, white chocolate chips, and virtually any bite-size Halloween candies or marshmallows work as decorations for these spooky treats. If you want to double down on the holiday theme, use jack-o’-lantern cupcake liners.

When only a chocolate cupcake recipe will do, try this devil’s food cake from Claire Saffitz, which uses a full cup of cocoa powder.

Recipe information

• Total Time

  45 minutes (plus chilling)

• Yield

  Makes 24 mini muffins

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Cupcakes:

   Step 1

   Position rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 mini muffin cups with paper liners. Spray liners lightly with nonstick vegetable oil spray; set aside.

   Step 2

   Whisk 1 cup (120 g) cake flour, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 tsp. baking powder, ⅔ cup (packed; 133 g) light brown sugar, and 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice in large bowl. Whisk 1 large egg, ½ cup canned pure pumpkin, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, ⅓ cup sour cream, and 1½ tsp. vanilla extract in medium bowl until combined. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture; fold in with a rubber spatula until just incorporated and no large dry streaks of flour remain (be careful not to overmix; batter will be lumpy).

   Step 3

   Divide batter among paper liners (about 1 heaping tablespoon per muffin cup; batter will almost fill liners). Bake cupcakes until toothpick or other tester inserted into center comes out clean, 12–16 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on rack.

   Do Ahead: Cupcakes can be made 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

2. Frosting and assembly:

   Step 4

   Using electric mixer, beat 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt in large bowl until, smooth, about 5 minutes. Beat in 1 cup (100 g) powdered sugar until frosting is smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes.

   Step 5

   Divide white frosting among 3 small bowls. Tint frosting in first bowl with orange coloring (or combine red and yellow coloring to make orange) and frosting in second bowl with black coloring, keeping frosting in third bowl white. Chill frosting at least 1 hour or until firm enough to easily spread.

   Do Ahead: Frosting can be made 5 days ahead. Store chilled in airtight containers. Beat briefly with an electric mixer to loosen if necessary.

   Step 6

   Frost cupcakes; decorate using candy and sanding sugar as desired.

   Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in our October 2009 issue with the title ‘Mini Halloween Pumpkin Cupcakes’ and has been updated to use cake flour and leavener instead of self-rising flour. Head this way for more Halloween desserts from our friends at Epicurious →