Easy Ghost Cupcakes
These cute ghost cupcakes are the perfect easy Halloween dessert! Made with a chocolate cake mix base and topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream swirled into ghost shapes. They're a spooky-sweet treat that’s fun to make and even more fun to eat!
Equipment
- 1 squeeze top bottle with a small, round tip (I used a small icing bottle) optional, for drawing faces on your ghosts
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 box chocolate cake mix 15.25 oz
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup coffee cooled
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 Tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
Chocolate Ganache Ghost Faces
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 2-3 Tbsp chocolate chips adjust for taste and thickness of your ganache
Instructions
Bake Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, eggs, oil, and cooled coffee. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting.
Make the Buttercream
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of milk or cream until smooth and fluffy. Add more milk to thin the frosting or more powdered sugar to thicken it, if needed.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or just snip the end of a zip-top bag)
Make Ghosts
- To make the ghost shapes, hold your piping bag straight up and pipe a tall swirl in one spot, stacking the buttercream vertically into a “ghosty” shape. Think of it like a mini soft-serve ice cream cone.
- Chill the cupcakes for 10–15 minutes to help the frosting set before adding faces.
Make Ganache for the Faces
- Heat the cream in the microwave until hot but not boiling (about 30 seconds).
- Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 1–2 minutes.
- Stir until smooth and glossy. Let the ganache cool slightly so it’s thick but pipeable.
- Transfer the ganache to a small squeeze-top bottle and carefully add eyes and a little oval mouth onto each ghost swirl.