These Halloween cupcakes are made with a simple cake mixture and topped with orange icing. They are perfect for last minute Halloween treats, but better than that, the kids will love to make and decorate them. That has to be good, right?
What's in these Halloween cupcakes?
For the cupcakes you will need, cocoa powder (good quality, not drinking chocolate), self raisng flour, margerine or butter, sugar and eggs. I prefer to usebaking margerine in cakes, as it makes the cakes much lighter. Of course you can use butter. I also grated the zest of an orange, but this is purely optional. You could also add 50g of chocolate chips too.
The icing or frosting is a combination of icing sugar, butter, colouring and orange flavouring. You could swap the orange flavour for vanilla if you like.
To decorate the icing I used Reese's peanut butter pumpkins, candy eyes and rice paper cobwebs. Chocolate buttons cut in half made the noses and mouths. You can use anything you can find. How about snakes and lots of eyes instead?
How to make the cupcakes.
These Halloween cupcakes are so easy to make.
Start by creaming the butter and sugar together until it's pale and fluffy. It's quicker to do this with a food mixture but, if the butter or margerine is room temperature, it's easy and safer for kids to do it with a wooden spoon.
Next beat the eggs together with a fork and beat into the the btter and sugar mixture. For this type of cake it doesn't matter if the mixture curdles (separates).
Next, mix the flour with the cocoa powder and sieve into the wet mixture. Carefully fold the flour into the mixture with a large metal spoon.
Line patty tins with 10 cupcake cases and divide the mixture between them. To get even cakes I prefer to use a medium icecream scoop.Bake in the oven T 180 C for 15-20 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch. Allow to cool on a wire rack before decorating.
How to make the icing.
Start with softened butter and beat with a wooden spoon until soft and light. Sieve in the icing sugar and stir together slowly. Add a few drops of food colouring and orange flavour and beat together until smooth. If you are using a coloured paste or leaving out the flavouring, you will probably find that the mixture is too thick. Add a few drops of milk until you get a thick, but pipeable consisitency.
Use a large star or round nozzle and pipe swirls on the top of the cakes. Alternatively dollop the icing on top and swirl with a fork. Put all the decorations in bowls and let the kids decide.
I think the Halloween cakes look cute and not too scary for little ones. What do you think?
Here are some more cake and Halloween recipes to try
📋 Recipe
Halloween Cupcakes with Orange & Chocolate
Ingredients
For the cakes
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon cocoa
- 115 g butter or margerine
- 115 g caster sugar
- 115 g self raising flour
- zest of an orange optional
For the icing
- 300 g icing sugar
- 150 g butter softened
- drop orange flavouring optional
- drop orange colouring optional
Dor the decoration
- 5 Reese peanut butter pumpkins optional
- 10 chocolate buttons optional
- 20 candy eyes optional
- 20 rice paper cobwebs optional
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Beat the eggs together then beat into the mixture with the zest if using.
- Sift the flour and cocoa together then fold into the mixture.
- Divide the mixture between 10 cake cases and bake in a preheated 180 C oven for 15-20 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cream the butter for the icing and sift in the icing sugar.
- Add a drop of food colouring or flavouring if required and mix well.
- Pipe or spread the icing onto the cakes and decorate with Halloween treats.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article.
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Amanda
Thanks Julie.
Julie
How much fun are these?!!! I love how festive they are for Halloween. I'm going to have to try them!
Amanda
Thanks Beth
Amanda
That sounds great Michelle! Be sure to share a picture.
Amanda
Thanks Sheryl!
Amanda
Thanks Lesli
Lesli Schwartz
How adorable are these cupcakes? They would make me feel like a kid again! Will keep this recipe for next Halloween for sure!
Sheryl
II love the cupcakes. They are so much fun!
Michelle
These are soooo cute! Orange and chocolate is such a great flavor combination for cupcakes. What a great idea for Halloween. I may borrow this idea for Thanksgiving and dress them up like little turkeys.
Beth
These are so cute and delicious! The kids had so much fun helping with these easy cupcakes!
Amanda
Thanks Brian.
Brian Jones
These were so good and so simple too, I'll be making them all year round and not just for haloween!
Amanda
Thanks Tara.
Amanda
Thanks Lisa. Using zest gets in so much flavour without adding extra moisture so it's a perfect natural flavouring.
Amanda
Thanks Romina. They taste delicious!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
I love orange zest in baked goods -- it adds a perfect tangy sweetness! I'll bet the kids love these!
Amanda
Thanks Dannii. It's one of my favourite combinations too.
Amanda
Thanks Kim. Orange flavour goes so well with chocolate.
Tara
Love these -- so cute and so easy that kids can help make and decorate them!
kim
I love this recipe! The flavor is spot on! Will definitely be making again for any fall gatherings!
Dannii
I love the combination of chocolate and orange and these cupcakes look super cute.
Romina
What a fun Halloween idea! they look delicious.