Purple Monster Cupcakes are the perfect Halloween-inspired treat! They are festive without being scary plus they are super simple to make. You don't need to be a professional baker to whip up these cute purple monster cupcakes! This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Did you sign up to send in a snack for your kid’s Halloween party at school? Or, maybe you’re in charge of providing something for your office party. These Purple Monster Cupcakes are the perfect Halloween treat! If you are looking for a more savory Halloween idea try my Mummy Hotdogs or my Halloween Bacon Jalapeno Mummies.
Let's take a quick look at the Ingredients
For this recipe, you’ll need ingredients for both the cupcakes and the frosting. Here’s what you’ll need:
All-purpose Flour
Baking powder
Milk
Vanilla
Eggs
Vegetable Shortening
Powdered sugar
Pumpkin spice
Purple food coloring
Scroll down to the detailed printable recipe card!
Tools needed for this recipe
In addition to your ingredients, you’ll need a few items to make these cupcakes.
Large candy eyes
“Grass” piping tip-to make the hair
Cupcake tin and liners
Large mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Stand or handheld mixer
How to make purple monster cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Then, fill a regular-sized cupcake tin with plain white cupcake liners and set it aside.
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients: Mix all of your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients: Pour the vanilla into hot water. Then, add the oil, milk, eggs, and the water/vanilla mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
Step 4: Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon the batter mixture into each of the lined cupcake cavities. Fill each cup about ½ to ¾ of the way full.
Step 5: Bake the Cupcakes and Cool: Bake your cupcakes for 15-20 minutes. Once they are finished, remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool.
Step 6: Make Vanilla Frosting: Using a stand mixer, whip the butter and vegetable shortening until it’s light and fluffy.
Step 7: Mix Water and Flavorings: Mix the pumpkin spice, vanilla, purple food coloring, and salt into extremely hot water. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes.
Step 8: Add Powdered Sugar: After you have whipped the butter and shortening, add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed. While it is mixing, pour in the water and flavoring mixture. Once it’s all combined, add the remaining powdered sugar and whip until light and fluffy.
Step 9: Frost and Decorate: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag. Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, pipe the frosting onto each cupcake. Pipe small spurts of fur all around the cupcake. Then, place a large eyeball in the middle.
Step 10: Refrigerate Cupcakes: Set the finished cupcakes in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the frosting set up or until ready to serve.
Serve and Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
If you liked this recipe, be sure to use some of these tips and tricks!
1. Check the cupcakes. Before removing the cupcakes from the oven, insert a toothpick into one of the cupcakes. If the toothpick pulls out without any raw batter, they are done.
2. Make the spiced vanilla frosting while cupcakes are cooling. You could also make it while they are cooking.
3. Refrigerate the frosting. If you find that the frosting is too soft to pipe, you can put it in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes to cool down.
What Flavor is the Frosting?
The homemade frosting that you are making for this recipe is a pumpkin spiced, vanilla flavor. It pairs nicely with the vanilla cupcakes and is the perfect frosting for the fall months. Don't like pumpkin spice? You can easily switch out the flavor of these cupcakes by using your favorite fall-inspired spices.
Can I Use Other Colors?
Absolutely! Instead of getting purple food coloring, just grab the color you would like to use such as orange or green. I did purple because they are purple people eaters, but feel free to use your favorite color for these Halloween monster cupcakes.
How Do I Store Cupcakes?
You can store them in an airtight container for 3 days on the counter. The best way to store these is to leave them unfrosted. When you are ready to eat them, frost the cupcakes so that the frosting is fresh and doesn't get messed up in a Tupperware container.
Other Fall Recipes to Try
Looking for more fall treats? Here are a few of my favorites!
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Purple Monster Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
Frosting
- 1 - ½ cups softened butter
- 2 cups vegetable shortening
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons extremely hot water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Purple food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Fill regular-sized cupcake tin with plain white cupcake liners, set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar mix to combine.
- Pour the vanilla into the hot water.
- Add the oil, milk, and eggs, and water/vanilla mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined.
- Use a measuring cup or spoon to scoop batter into each of the lined cupcake cavities. Only fill each cavity approx ½ - ⅔ the way full.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Check to see if they are cooked all the way through by inserting a toothpick into one of the cupcakes, if the toothpick pulls out without any raw batter (a few crumbs are OK) then the cakes are done.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the spiced vanilla frosting.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter and vegetable shortening until light and fluffy.
- While the butter is whipping, add the pumpkin spice, vanilla, purple food coloring, and salt to the extremely hot water. Let this sit for 2-3 minutes.
- When the butter has been whipped, add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed. While it is mixing, stream in the water mixture.
- Once combined, mix in the remaining powdered sugar, and whip until all is combined and light and fluffy.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a grass piping tip. Or you can use a zip-top bag and snip off one of the bottom corners.
- If the frosting is too soft to pipe, put in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to cool down.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Pipe small spurts of fur all around the cupcake, then carefully place one large eyeball in the middle.
- The set finished cupcakes in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the frosting set up or until ready to serve.
- Serve same-day or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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