These little monster cupcakes are adorable, delicious and SO easy to make!! Ghoulishly green hinted cupcakes are covered with furry frosting on top of the cupcakes and loads of googly eyes! Halloween monster cupcakes are so much fun and a box mix hack!
Halloween cupcakes need to be eye catching and these adorable monster cupcakes are just that! BUT Halloween recipes don’t need to be difficult or time consuming to make. These fun monster cupcakes are so easy.
They use a box cake mix that’s colored, store-bought frosting and a fun frosting tip to cover the top of the cupcakes with colorful frosting and plenty of edible eyes.
These little monsters are perfect for a Halloween party, class party, or birthday party. They’ll become a favorite cupcake recipe because everyone loves them and they aren’t hard work for you!
You’ll love our Orange Poke Halloween Cupcakes recipe and Graveyard Cupcakes too!
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Recipe Ingredient Notes
Box yellow cake mix. One regular or gluten-free box of yellow cake mix that makes 24 cupcakes PLUS any ingredients called for on the box to complete the cake (usually eggs, vegetable oil and/or water).
Buttercream frosting. To keep this super easy we used two tubs of prepared buttercream frosting. You can also use homemade frosting.
Gel food coloring. Gel food coloring creates more vibrant colors than liquid food coloring. And you only need a little bit! Though liquid food coloring will still work.
You’ll need green or blue (or a mix of the two) to color the cupcakes then your desired color or colors for the frosting to be (we used green, purple and orange). Using a variety of colors makes the scary monster cupcakes even more appealing.
Candy eyeballs. These are available wherever baking supplies are sold (craft stores with a baking section, usually in grocery stores in the baking aisle or in kitchen shops with baking supplies or online). Wilton brand is the most popular.
Supplies needed:
- Muffin pan(s)
- Baking liners
- Mixing bowl
- Frosting piping bags (see Variations for an alternative)
- Optional: Piping tip (not required for this method)
How to make Monster Cupcakes
Printable recipe in the recipe card at the end of the post.
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat the oven to the temperature indicated on the cake mix for cupcakes. Add cupcake liners to muffin pan(s) to make 24 cupcakes. This is a great time to use festive Halloween cupcake liners!
STEP 2. Make the batter
Follow the instructions on the cake mix to prepare the batter (photos 1-2). This usually includes combining the mix in a large bowl with the extra ingredients (eggs, vegetable oil and/or water) and mixing until combined and smooth.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of green or blue gel food coloring(or a mix) to the batter (or 3-5 drops of liquid food coloring) to the batter (photo 3). Whisk to incorporate and fully color the batter (photos 4-5). NOTE: if a deeper color is desired add more coloring now.
Fill each liner as noted on the cake mix (photo 6).
STEP 3. Bake
Bake cupcakes for the time noted on the cake mix for cupcakes. The tops should be lightly golden (though it can be difficult to see due to the coloring) or when a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean (photos 7-8).
STEP 4. Cool
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool in the muffin pan 10 minutes then to room temperature on a wire rack before frosting (or as noted on your mix).
STEP 5. Frost
Divide the frosting into a separate bowl for each frosting color being used (so if you are making two colors of frosting separate into two bowls; three colors of frosting separate into three bowls etc).
Add gel or liquid food coloring to color the frosting to the desired shade. TIP: for gel coloring I usually dip a clean toothpick into the gel, add that to the frosting and mix together then add more if needed. A little goes a long way).
Spoon each colored frosting into a piping bag and snip off the end of the bags (photo 9). Pipe zig zag lines over the entire surface of the cupcake (the top) to create the illusion of fur (photos 10-11).
On top of the frosting add candy eyes (as many as you like) (photo 12). The more eyes the merrier with these little guys!
Variations
Use another flavor cake mix. You can use white cake mix or any flavor you prefer (red velvet, chocolate
Use a different frosting. Any frosting can be used. If you’ll color it using vanilla or another white frosting works best. If you want to skip coloring it you can buy already colored frosting too. Or try one of our favorite homemade frostings:
No piping bags? No problem. Use a quart or gallon Ziploc type plastic bag. Fill, snip the corner off and pipe.
Pipe on the fur. Instead of the zig zag technique you can use an actual piping tip. We love the grass tip which makes them look really furry! Or use a small closed star tip to pipe uniform frosting texture or your favorite small star tip depending on the look you want.
Cookie monster cupcakes. Make blue frosting, just use two candy eyes and insert half a small chocolate chip cookie where the mouth would go!
How to Store
Store in an airtight container. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, unrefrigerated.
For more than 2 days up to 5-6 days store in the refrigerator. Be sure the container is airtight and will not let any moisture in.
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Recipe
Furry Monster Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix regular or gluten-free; plus any called for ingredients to prepare the batter (usually eggs, vegetable oil and/or water)
- 2 tubs prepared buttercream frosting
- gel food coloring (see Notes)
- candy eyes quantity will depend on how many you want on each cupcake
- cupcake liners
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the temperature indicated on the cake mix for cupcakes. Add cupcake liners muffin pans to bake 24 cupcakes. This is a great time to use festive Halloween cupcake liners!
- Follow the instructions on the cake mix to prepare the batter. This usually includes combining the mix in a large bowl with the extra ingredients (eggs, vegetable oil and/or water) and mixing until combined and smooth.
- Add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of green or blue gel food coloring to the batter (or 3-5 drops of liquid food coloring) to the batter. Whisk to incorporate and fully color the batter. NOTE: if a deeper color is desired add more coloring now.
- Fill each liner 2/3 full or as noted on the cake mix.
- Bake cupcakes for the time noted on the cake mix for cupcakes (this will differ from making a cake; usually around 22-24 minutes). The tops should be lightly golden (though it can be difficult to see due to the coloring) or when a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to fully cool to room temperature on a wire rack before frosting.
- Divide the frosting into a separate bowl for each frosting color being used (so if you are making two colors of frosting separate into two bowls; three colors of frosting separate into three bowls etc).
- Add gel or liquid food coloring to color the frosting to the desired shade. TIP: for gel coloring I usually dip a clean toothpick into the gel, add that to the frosting and mix together then add more if needed. A little goes a long way.
- Spoon each colored frosting into a piping bag and snip off the end of the bags. Pipe zig zag lines over the entire surface of the cupcake (the top) to create the illusion of fur.
- On top of the frosting add candy eyes (as many as you like). The more eyes the merrier with these little guys!
Notes
- If desired white cake mix or another cake mix can be substituted.
- You may have frosting leftover. One tub of frosting can frost 24-32 cupcakes but with the zig zag frosting method having additional frosting gives better coverage.
- A different frosting can also be used. Vanilla is a good choice if coloring the frosting. You can even purchase colored frosting as a shortcut.
- We recommend gel coloring due to its vibrant color though liquid food coloring can also be used. Use green or blue to color the cupcakes. Choose one or more color for the frosting (we used green, orange and purple).
Kim says
These turned out amazing and the kids loved them. Such a fun recipe for Halloween!
Jen h says
These are so adorable. I can’t believe mine came out as cute as yours! The kids loved them!
wilhelmina says
These are so much fun and the kids LOVE them! Great recipe!
Gina Abernathy says
So cute and a great way to get the kids in the kitchen. Love these!
Greta says
Loved making these. Thank you for a truly EASY adorable recipe.
kushigalu says
The perfect treat for Halloween. So cute. Thanks for the recipe.
Katherine says
These cupcakes are so cute, and so easy!