Description
These Eyeball Cupcakes are a perfect spooky treat for Halloween! With moist red velvet cupcakes, creamy vanilla buttercream, and realistic fondant eyeballs, they make a fun and creepy addition to any Halloween party. Get creative with the fondant decorations and edible blood to make them uniquely yours.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/3 cups cake flour
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp red gel food coloring or 1 tbsp liquid food coloring
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (for buttercream frosting)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for buttercream frosting)
- 1/4 tsp fine salt (for buttercream frosting)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (for buttercream frosting)
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (room temperature, for buttercream frosting)
- 1/3 cup seedless raspberry or strawberry jam (for edible blood)
- 2 tbsp water (for edible blood)
- 1/4 tsp red gel food coloring (optional, for edible blood)
- 1/3 cup white fondant (for eyeball decoration)
- 2 tbsp black fondant (for eyeball decoration)
- Gel food coloring (blue, purple, green, for iris painting)
- Small paintbrush (for painting fondant)
Instructions
- Start by making the fondant irises. Knead the white fondant until soft, then roll out and cut 12 circles (about 1 inch in diameter). Use a few drops of food coloring mixed with alcohol or clear extract to paint each iris, then cut out tiny black fondant circles for the pupils. Let these dry while you continue with the cupcakes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Mix in buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, and red food coloring until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Spoon batter into cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool.
- For buttercream frosting, beat butter until smooth, add vanilla and salt, and slowly add powdered sugar. Add whipping cream and beat until smooth and creamy. Adjust with more cream or powdered sugar if needed.
- For edible blood, mix raspberry jam, water, and red food coloring in a small bowl. Pipe onto cupcakes.
- Once cupcakes are cool, pipe a mound of frosting on each, then press a fondant iris into the center of each cupcake. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up the frosting.
- Pipe veins with the edible blood, creating a creepy effect.
Notes
Use room-temperature ingredients for a smoother batter and frosting. Chill cupcakes after frosting to help with easier blood decoration. Feel free to get creative with iris colors and food coloring!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg