Halloween Skeleton Cupcakes
Fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with Oreo "dirt" and a spooky little skeleton made from marshmallows and candy-coated pretzels. A fun, kid-friendly Halloween treat that doubles as a party centerpiece.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
Supply List:
- 2 cups Vanilla Frosting store-bought or homemade
- 1 cup crushed Oreo Cookies about 15 cookies, filling removed and cookies crushed
- 12 large Marshmallows
- 1 black food safe marker edible ink
- 12 lollipop sticks
- 48 mini marshmallows
- 36 mini pretzels
- 12 oz white candy melts
- Parchment Paper
Instructions
To Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Don't overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely, about 30 minutes, before frosting.
To Make the Skeleton Decorations:
- Place the white candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until smooth and fully melted.
- Dip the mini pretzels into the melted candy one at a time, using a fork to lift them out and tap off the excess coating. Place the coated pretzels on a sheet of parchment paper to set, about 10 minutes.
- For a thicker, whiter coating, let the pretzels set and then dip them a second time.
- Add a spoonful of frosting to the top of each cooled cupcake and spread it into a thick, even layer that reaches the edge of the liner.
- Dip the top of each frosted cupcake into the crushed Oreos (or sprinkle the crumbs over the frosting) to create the "dirt."
- Use the food-safe marker to draw two eyes and a mouth on the flat end of each large marshmallow. Set them aside for a few minutes to dry.
- Insert a lollipop stick about halfway down into the center of each cupcake. Slide one mini marshmallow onto the stick.
- Thread on a candy-coated pretzel, then another mini marshmallow. Repeat until each stick holds three pretzels and four mini marshmallows, ending with a mini marshmallow.
- Top each skeleton with a marshmallow skull, pressing it gently onto the stick. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and serve.
Video
Notes
- You can mix the filling scraped from the Oreos into your frosting if you wish, since it's simply buttercream. You'll need about 15 Oreos for 1 cup of crumbs.
- For a quick and easy treat, use 12 store-bought vanilla cupcakes and simply follow the decorating instructions to add your skeletons.
- Only draw on the marshmallows with an edible-ink, food-safe marker.
- The candy-coated pretzels and marshmallow skulls can be made 1 to 2 days ahead and stored airtight at room temperature. Assemble the skeletons the day you serve them so the pretzels stay crisp.
- Store assembled cupcakes airtight at room temperature for up to 1 day. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 532kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 4gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 296mgPotassium: 97mgFiber: 1gSugar: 60gVitamin A: 293IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition details are an estimate, per serving.
