Description

These spooky Eyeball Cupcakes are a fun and festive Halloween treat featuring classic red velvet cupcakes topped with creamy vanilla buttercream and decorated with colorful fondant irises and edible fake blood for a realistic eyeball effect. Perfect for parties, they combine moist, fluffy cupcakes with creative, edible decorations that are both playful and delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

Red Velvet Cupcakes

1 1/3 cups cake flour (160g)
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (5g)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (6g)
1/4 tsp fine salt (2g)
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (56g)
2/3 cup granulated sugar (133g)
2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature (120g)
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil (73g)
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
1/2 tsp red gel food coloring or 1 Tbsp liquid food coloring

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (4g)
1/4 tsp fine salt (2g)
2 cups powdered sugar (250g)
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature (30g)

Edible Fake Blood

1/3 cup seedless raspberry or strawberry jam (95g)
2 Tbsp water (30g)
1/4 tsp red gel food coloring or 1 tsp liquid food coloring – optional

Suggested Tools / Decoration

1/3 cup White Fondant
2 Tbsp Black Fondant
Small Paint Brush
Gel Food Coloring (blue, purple, and/or green)
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Muffin tin
Cupcake liners
Small Whisk
Large Piping Bag
Large Round Piping Tip like a Wilton 2A
Small Piping Bag
Small Round Piping Tip like a Wilton 3

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Instructions

Fondant Iris: Knead the white fondant until warm, then roll out and cut 12 circles about 1 inch in diameter. Dust your surface with cornstarch if the fondant sticks. Mix gel food coloring with clear alcohol or extract to paint the white circles. Roll out black fondant and cut 12 small circles (about 1/3 inch) for pupils and place them in the center of each iris. Use a paintbrush to streak the paint from the pupil to the edge of the iris for a spooky effect. Let dry.
Prepare Cupcake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 liners. Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and food coloring until combined. Add dry ingredients in two parts, mixing until no flour streaks remain. Scrape bowl as needed.
Bake Cupcakes: Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners and bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting: Beat butter on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla and salt, then gradually beat in powdered sugar and heavy cream on low speed until smooth and creamy. Adjust consistency with more cream or powdered sugar as needed. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and set aside.
Prepare Edible Fake Blood: In a small bowl, whisk seedless raspberry or strawberry jam, water, and optional red food coloring until smooth and thin. Transfer to a small piping bag with a small round tip; seal and set aside.
Decorate Eyeball Cupcakes: Pipe a large mound of buttercream onto each cooled cupcake, gently tapping to smooth. Place a fondant iris in the center and chill cupcakes for 15 minutes to firm frosting. Carefully pipe veins around the sides of each cupcake using the edible fake blood to complete the eyeball effect. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

To make mini eyeball cupcakes, bake this recipe in mini muffin tins for about 40 cupcakes, baking for 9-10 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth mixing.
Measure flour properly by spooning and leveling or use a kitchen scale.
Mix batter just until combined to keep cupcakes tender and fluffy.
Use a large cookie scoop for even cupcake portions.
Banging the cupcake pan on the counter before baking removes air bubbles.
Seal piping bags with rubber bands to prevent frosting leakage.
For gluten-free cupcakes, substitute your favorite gluten-free flour blend and let batter rest 30 minutes before baking.
Unfrosted cupcakes keep for 2 days at room temp, up to 1 week refrigerated, or 3 months frozen.
Frosting keeps up to 1 month refrigerated or 3 months frozen; stir well after thawing.
Frosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 hours or refrigerated up to 3 days.
Frost cupcakes just before serving for best texture and appearance.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Calories: 320
Sugar: 28g
Sodium: 170mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 50mg