Easy Cupcakes for Halloween (Vampire Cupcakes)

Easy cupcakes for Halloween on a table with one broken open showing the cherries inside.

Easy Cupcakes for Halloween (Vampire Cupcakes)

These easy cupcakes for Halloween are rich chocolate cupcakes filled with a gooey cherry “blood” center and topped with chocolate frosting, decorating sugar, and vampire or "Count" Kit Kats. They’re an easy, impressive Halloween dessert made with simple store-bought shortcuts.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Cooling and Decorating Time1

Total Time1 45

Servings:

Calories: 228kcal

Author: Karin and Ken

Ingredients

1 box (15.25 oz) Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake Mix
3 large eggs
1 cup water
½ cup vegetable oil
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
1 tub (16 oz) Duncan Hines Classic Chocolate Creamy Frosting
Red coarse decorating sugar
White coarse decorating sugar
15 Kit Kat Counts

Instructions

Make the Cupcakes: Preheat the oven according to the cake mix directions and line muffin pans with cupcake liners. Prepare the devil’s food cake batter with the eggs, water, and oil. Add about 2½ heaping tablespoons of batter to each liner and bake for 18-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean. Cool completely.
Fill with Cherry “Blood”: Use a cupcake corer or small knife to remove a small portion from the center of each cooled cupcake without cutting all the way through the bottom. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cherry pie filling with approximately 3 cherries into each opening.
Frost the Cupcakes: If the prepared chocolate frosting feels very soft, chill it briefly before piping. Transfer it to a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip and pipe frosting over each cupcake, covering the cherry-filled center.
Decorate and Serve: Sprinkle the frosting with red and white coarse decorating sugar, then gently press a Count Kit Kat or another Halloween Kit Kat into the frosting. Serve once decorated or store as directed below.

Notes

Batter amount: Use about 2½ heaping tablespoons of batter per liner. We got 15 large cupcakes from one 15.25-ounce cake mix.
Cherry filling: Fill each cupcake with about 1 tablespoon of pie filling, including approximately 3 cherries. A 21-ounce can is more than enough.
Frosting: One 16-ounce tub frosted all 15 cupcakes. If it is too soft to pipe, chill it briefly or mix in 1–2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Candy: Count Kit Kats create the vampire look, but Witch, mummy, Frankenstein, bat, or other seasonal Kit Kats work too.
Make ahead: Bake the cupcakes a day ahead if needed. For the best appearance, add the Kit Kats and decorating sugar closer to serving.
Storage: Store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freeze without the candy decorations for up to 2 months.

Nutrition