Ghost Cupcakes: How to Make Cute and Easy Halloween Treats

Easy Halloween Party Treats

Kids love to get their hands messy when it comes to creating ghoulish treats for Halloween. Fortunately, this easy recipe is perfect if the kids want to get involved. There are steps suited for just about any age. So, everyone in the family can help make these cute Halloween treats for your upcoming party or afterschool snacks.

Plus, if you prefer a more hands on approach to parties, this is a great activity for guests. Simply provide pre-baked cupcakes and an assembly line of the ingredients you need to decorate these Halloween treats. Then host a Halloween cupcake decorating party where each party guest can decorate their own dessert.

Keep reading to learn how to decorate your cupcakes for Halloween with this ghostly, cupcake decorating idea.

Halloween Ghost Cupcake Ingredients

This recipe for ghost cupcakes is designed for decorating Halloween cupcakes to look like ghosts. You will start with either pre-made cupcakes. Or you may bake your own fresh, using boxed cake mix. After which, you’ll add festive holiday icing. Finally floating ghosts are placed into the center of the Halloween snack cakes for the perfect party treat.

Here’s what you’ll need to complete this spooktacular, autumn-themed dessert:

• Cupcakes: You will either need white or chocolate cupcake mix or pre-baked white or chocolate cupcakes. You may also choose another flavor based on your personal preference. The cupcakes are decorated after baking to resemble ghosts or ghouls. If using box cake mix to make your own cake, you’ll also need the ingredients listed on the back of the box, including the eggs and vegetable oil.
• Buttercream Frosting: I used vanilla and chocolate buttercream frosting to decorate these delicious, holiday treats. Otherwise the fondant ghosties will peek through bare cake. In addition, frosting is also used to add details, such as the eyes and mouth, to the cupcake ghosts.
• Sprinkles: While optional, sprinkles make everything better! I love using multi-colored, candy sprinkles in fun Halloween shapes for this recipe. You can explore Halloween sprinkle mixes here. Or consider these adorable, pressed sugar ghosts.
• Lollipops: You’ll need lollipops to make the ghost cupcake decorations. I used Dum Dums® lollipops for their round shape and small size. However, you can also use another brand of lollipops at your discretion. Blow Pops would also work for this application.
• White Fondant: White colored fondant is necessary to create the ghost shapes. The fondant will be rolled out onto a flat surface, then cut into a circle before placing over top of the lollipops. When draped over the candy, the fondant resembles floating ghosts.
• Powdered Sugar: To assist with rolling out and cutting the fondant, powdered sugar is placed onto the working surface to prevent the fondant from sticking.

Kitchen Equipment and Tools

In addition to the ingredients necessary to decorate these cupcakes for Halloween, you’ll also need some basic kitchen equipment. If you are using pre-baked cupcakes, then not all of the tools listed below are necessary. However, they are listed in case you want to bake your snack cakes either from scratch or using a box mix.

These are the tools necessary to create and decorate these holiday desserts:

• Large Bowl: To make the cupcakes that you’ll be decorating with the fondant ghosts, you’ll need a large bowl to mix the box cupcake mix.
• Electric Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: A mixer is necessary to mix the ingredients for the cupcakes.
• Cupcake Pan: You’ll use a cupcake or muffin pan to bake the cupcakes.
• Paper Liners or Muffin Cups: Festive paper liners or muffin cups get filled with cupcake batter to make this holiday Halloween dessert.
• Silicone Mat: I recommend you use a silicone baking mat or other non-stick surface to roll out the fondant you’ll be using to create the ghost cupcake toppers.
• Piping Bag with Large Round Tip: I used a piping bag and decorating tip to decorate the tops of the cakes with icing. However, if desired, you can also use a knife to apply the frosting.
• Small Circle Cookie Cutter: A small cookie cutter is used to cut out the fondant. If you don’t have a small cookie or biscuit cutter on hand, you may also use a drinking glass.
• Rolling Pin: A rolling pin will simplify the process of rolling the fondant out flat, so that it may be cut into shapes. This rolling pin and pastry mat set is perfect for this cake decorating project. However, you may also use the side of a drinking glass in a pinch.