Halloween Zombie Cupcakes
These Halloween Zombie Cupcakes are creepy, squishy, and shockingly good. With bright strawberry cake, pink buttercream 'brains,' and a drizzle of sticky red 'blood,' they’re the kind of dessert that makes kids scream (with delight) and adults grin.
Ingredients
- 1 box strawberry cake mix 15.25 oz
- Ingredients called for on box typically eggs, oil, water
- 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup
- ½ cup strawberry jam
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ¼ cup strawberry syrup store-bought, like Hershey’s
Instructions
- Prepare the strawberry cake mix as directed on the box. Bake in lined muffin tins and let cool completely.
- In a bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Add strawberry jam and beat again. Gradually mix in powdered sugar, then vanilla and salt until the texture is thick but pipe-able.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting on each cupcake. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and pipe a straight line down the center. Add curved loops on either side to resemble brains.
- Drizzle strawberry syrup on top to create a creepy “bloody” effect. Serve right away or chill until ready.
Notes
Use a small piping tip or a snipped plastic bag. Chill the frosting if it’s too soft. Practice piping brains on parchment first—imperfection adds to the effect.