Easy Halloween Cupcakes on the Cheap
I have fond childhood memories of helping my mom bake and decorate cupcakes. I also remember a few times telling her in very last-minute fashion that I had to bring cupcakes to school the next morning. As an adult now, I have found myself in a few cupcake pinches. October is always a very busy and expensive month, especially the last week or so (birthdays, wedding anniversary, and Halloween).
Cupcakes have really gained popularity in the last decade. Everyone is making them! They have evolved into beautiful works of art and there are even television shows dedicated solely to cupcakes. What used to pass for an acceptable cupcake can look downright homeless compared to the high fashion world of cupcakes today. It can be difficult to find Halloween-themed cake or cupcake decorating items-- they are usually all purchased before Halloween or can be a little pricey. Making great Halloween cupcakes without fancy tools or extra money is pretty easy.
Tips
- Prepare and bake your cupcakes using your favorite mix or recipe. Prepare or buy a light-colored frosting that can be altered with food coloring.
- In these pictures I made orange, yellow, and green (the brown was chocolate). Remember to use less food coloring in the beginning because you can always add more.
- If I have a couple extra dollars, I will spring for some pretty Halloween cupcake papers. Try to buy them right after Halloween when they're cheap and save them for next season.
- Purchase Halloween party favors or small decorations from a craft or party store. It's good to buy them early or in the off season, as they can go fast. For these cupcakes, I used a bag of bones and skulls and a bag of traditional batrings. Both are plastic and not edible. They are also not intended for small children. Both were purchased from Party City at the beginning of October. I washed them prior to decorating with them. The bones are fantastic because you can actually stick them into the cake and make it seem like they are crawling out.
- Use Halloween candy like candy corn. I think decorating with candy corns is a nod to timeless tradition and never goes out of style. You can make it simple or silly.
- Wash your decorations thoroughly and store away safely for next year.
Heather Says: You can spend 5 bucks on just a tube of Halloween-themed sprinkles. Save your money and be creative instead. This is a great way to decorate cupcakes for Halloween. If you are pinched for time and money, this can be a lifesaver. The kids can help too!
More Recipes from the Kitchen of Heather Says
- Strawberry Jell-o Cake with Fresh Strawberries
Jell-o + Cake = Jell-o Cake. It's as easy as it sounds. This is a great way to turn a boxed cake mix into something spectacular. It only adds a few minutes on to the prep time that you would normally spend baking and frosting a cake from a mix.
- Stained Glass Sugar Cookies
Turn a classic sugar cookie dough recipe into a colorful work of art. These stained glass cookies are pleasing to the eye and tummy! A how-to with pics.