Halloween Funfetti Cupcakes

Name: Halloween Funfetti Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 190 g Butter, softened ((¾ cup + 1 tablespoon)); 190 g White sugar ((1 cup) caster/superfine sugar is best); 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract; 3 Medium Eggs; 190 g Self-rising flour ((1+½ cups)); Green food colouring (add a little bit at a time until you get your desired colour); 80 g Halloween confetti sprinkles ((½ cup) plus more for topping the cupcakes); 120 g Softened butter ((½ cup)); 500 g Icing sugar/powdered sugar ((4 cups)); 3 Tablespoons Milk; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract; Purple food colouring

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These Halloween funfetti cupcakes are soft and fluffy, bold and vibrant. They're super easy to make and perfect for feeding a party crowd.

unwrapped halloween funfetti cupcakes with sprinkles on top

I'm back again with another Halloween dessert recipe, and this time it's these cute Halloween funfetti cupcakes! The fluffy green sponge cupcakes are topped with vibrant purple frosting and spooky confetti sprinkles, making a gorgeous party treat that both kids and adults will love.

These are perfect for Halloween bake sales, parties or just for some at-home festive snacking. Whatever the occasion, they're sure to be a hit.

Below I've written a post that includes detailed ingredient and equipment notes, step-by-step instructions with images, top tips and more. I hope you find it helpful. For those of you who prefer the straight-to-the-point, bullet-pointed format, you can find this in the recipe card at the end of the post. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Sugar: Caster sugar will give the cakes the best texture as it'll dissolve more easily into the butter. Caster sugar is also known as superfine sugar in the USA.
Butter: Make sure to soften your butter before baking as it will be a lot easier to mix than using it straight from the fridge! To soften it, leave it out at room temperature for an hour or two, or cut it into cubes and pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Vanilla extract: For extra flavour.
Eggs: 3 medium eggs, to bind the rest of the ingredients together.
Flour: I recommend using self-raising flour for these cupcakes if you can- it makes baking them a bit quicker and easier. If you don't have any, you can use plain/all-purpose flour and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to the recipe separately.
Food colouring: You'll need some green food colouring for the cupcakes plus some purple food colouring for the frosting. I recommend using gel or paste colouring rather than liquid, as you'll need a LOT more of the latter to get a vibrant colour.
Icing sugar: To make the frosting. This is also known as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar.
Milk: This is useful to have on hand. You might need it to loosen the cake batter or the frosting.
Halloween sprinkles: Or any mix of green, purple, black or orange sprinkles. I used the green, purple and black sprinkle mix from Cake Decor's Halloween 'spooky mix'.

Equipment

Cupcake tin: I actually to use a muffin tin when making cupcakes as the deeper holes help them to hold their shape a little better, making them rise upwards rather than outwards.
Cupcake cases: 12 of them. I used purple ones to match my sprinkles and frosting but feel free to use any Halloweeny cases that you like.
Mixing bowls: A large one for the cake mix and a medium-sized one for the frosting.
Utensils: A wooden spoon for mixing, plus a tablespoon and a teaspoon for measuring.
Kitchen scales: I recommend using a food scale for this recipe to ensure the best results. Although I have included estimates in the recipe card, imperial measurements are not always reliable.
Cooling rack: To cool the cupcakes on after they come out of the oven.
Piping bag and nozzle: To pipe the frosting onto the cakes. You could use a small spoon to spread it on instead if you don't care about them looking super fancy.

purple and green halloween funfetti cupcakes on a white surface

How to make Halloween funfetti cupcakes

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 160°C (or 140°C for fan ovens) and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper cases.

Step 2: To a large bowl, add 190g of softened butter and 190g of caster sugar. Cream them together until light and fluffy, then stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Step 3: Next, measure out 190g of self-raising flour and have 3 medium eggs to hand. Stir them into the butter/sugar mixture, a little bit at a time, until smooth. You can add a small splash of milk to help loosen the batter a little if you need to.

Step 4: Stir some green food colouring into the cake batter. I recommend starting with a little bit and adding more as needed. Once you have your desired colour, add 80g of Halloween sprinkles to the batter and mix them in.

Step 5: Divide your cake batter equally between the 12 cupcake cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick through the middle comes out clean. Transfer them to a wire rack and leave them to cool completely.

baked cupcakes in tin with funfetti sprinkles showing through

Step 6: Once the cupcakes have cooled, prepare your purple frosting. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together 120g of softened butter, 250g of icing sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk. Once that's smooth, stir in another 250g of icing sugar and another tablespoon of milk. If needed, you can add more milk or icing sugar to thicken or loosen the frosting.

Step 7: Stir some purple food colouring into the frosting, then transfer all of it to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.

Step 8: Pipe some frosting onto each cupcake and top with more Halloween sprinkles to decorate. Let the frosting harden at room temperature, then enjoy!

piping purple frosting onto the cupcakes

Top tips

Use a muffin tin rather than a shallow cupcake tin to help your cakes hold their shape better.
Gel, paste or powder colours will make the cakes more vibrant than liquid food colouring. I used PME pastes.
Add a small splash of milk if your cake mix is too thick. If it's too runny or starts to curdle, you can add more flour.

FAQs

How long do Halloween funfetti cupcakes last?

If you keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, they'll last for up to 5 days. You can store them at room temperature if you prefer (the frosting will hold up fine) but they won't last quite as long.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, you can freeze your cupcakes in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Alternatively, freeze them on a baking tray until solid, then pop them into freezer bags, which will stop them from sticking together.

Where can I buy Halloween sprinkles?

I used Cake Decor's Spooky Mix sprinkles- you can either buy the black/orange mix or the purple/green mix. If you can't find any Halloween sprinkles in your local supermarket, I'd recommend trying a hobby store. There are lots of fun options on Amazon too!

overhead image of halloween funfetti cupcakes

More Halloween cupcakes:

I hope you like my green and purple Halloween funfetti cupcakes. If you make them at home, please let me know what you think by leaving a rating and comment down below. Enjoy!