Get ready to sink your teeth into one of the most creative and delicious Halloween Themed Desserts you’ll ever make! These Vampire Bite Cupcakes are a truly spectacular treat, perfect for adding a touch of horror to your party spread. This recipe features moist red velvet cupcakes with a surprise “bloody” red filling, all topped with a pale buttercream frosting and finished with a gruesome, gory vampire bite. It’s one of those Bloody Good Recipes that is as fun to make as it is to eat, and it’s guaranteed to be a screaming success at any Halloween event.
Why These Are Scary Good Recipes for Halloween
When it comes to Vampire Food Ideas, these cupcakes are at the top of the list. They are the perfect blend of spooky and delicious.
- A Surprise “Bloody” Filling: The best part of these cupcakes is the hidden red velvet filling that oozes out when you take a bite, creating a fun and gruesome effect.
- Incredibly Thematic: The “bite mark” and “blood” drips make these a perfect centerpiece for a vampire-themed party or a spooky movie night.
- Deliciously Decadent: Underneath the spooky decorations is a rich and tender red velvet cupcake with a creamy buttercream frosting.
- Perfect for a Crowd: This is one of the best Easy Halloween Desserts For A Crowd, as cupcakes are already portioned and easy to serve.
Your Ingredient Checklist
This recipe is broken down into three parts: the cupcakes, the filling, and the frosting.
For the Red Velvet Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp red food coloring
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
For the “Bloody” Red Velvet Filling:
- ½ cup red velvet cake crumbs (from one of the baked cupcakes)
- ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1-2 tbsp red food coloring for extra color
For the Pale Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- A few drops of ivory or peach food coloring for a “skin tone”
For the Vampire Bite:
- Red decorating gel or a simple red syrup (like strawberry or raspberry dessert sauce).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Get ready to bring these spooky and delicious cupcakes to life!
Part 1: Bake the Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Mix the Batter: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and red food coloring. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda and vinegar (it will fizz).
- Combine: Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Finally, stir in the fizzy vinegar mixture.
- Bake: Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely.
Part 2: Create the Filling and Frosting
- Make the “Bloody” Filling: Take one of your cooled cupcakes, crumble it up, and measure out ½ cup of the crumbs. In a small bowl, mix these cake crumbs with the sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, and extra red food coloring until you have a thick, gooey, deep red filling.
- Fill the Cupcakes: Using an apple corer or a small knife, carefully remove a small cone-shaped piece from the center of each of the remaining 11 cupcakes. Spoon the red filling into each hole.
- Make the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk, until you reach a smooth, pipeable consistency. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add a tiny drop of ivory or peach food coloring and mix until you have a pale, skin-like tone.
Part 3: Decorate Your Vampire Bites
- Frost the Cupcakes: Spread or pipe a smooth, flat layer of the pale buttercream frosting over the top of each filled cupcake.
- Create the Bite: Using the tip of a small knife or a toothpick, create two small indentations in the frosting, about a half-inch apart, to look like fang marks.
- Add the “Blood”: Squeeze a small dot of the red decorating gel into each “fang mark.” Let the gel drip down the side of the cupcake for a gruesome, bloody effect.
- Chill and Serve: Let the cupcakes chill for a few minutes for the frosting to set. Serve and enjoy the screams of delight!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What are some other fun Vampire Party Food ideas? Beyond these cupcakes, there are many great Vampire Party Food options! You could serve “Bloody Punch” (a red fruit punch), make a “Graveyard” dip with tombstone crackers, or serve spaghetti with a deep red marinara sauce. It’s all about playing with the red and black color scheme.
2. Can I use a different kind of cake for these? Yes! While red velvet is perfect for the “bloody” theme, you could absolutely use your favorite vanilla or chocolate cupcake recipe as the base. The spooky decoration is what makes these cupcakes so special. These are some of the most popular Halloween Themed Desserts because they are so customizable.
3. I need ideas for a school event. What are some good Halloween Bake Sale Ideas? These cupcakes are perfect for a bake sale! Other great Halloween Bake Sale Ideas include “Mummy” brownies (drizzled with white icing and candy eyes), “Witch Hat” cookies made with a chocolate cookie base and a Hershey’s Kiss, or simple sugar cookies decorated with spooky sprinkles.
4. Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time? You can bake the cupcakes a day in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also make the frosting and filling a day ahead and store them in the fridge. For the best and freshest look, it’s recommended to fill and decorate the cupcakes on the day you plan to serve them. This makes them great for any Goosebumps Party Food table.
Vampire Bite Halloween Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- paper liners
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Apple corer or small knife For removing cupcake centers
- Piping bag or spatula For frosting
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp red food coloring
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup red velvet cake crumbs (from 1 baked cupcake)
- 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1-2 tbsp red food coloring (extra for filling)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- few drops ivory or peach food coloring (for skin-tone frosting)
- Red decorating gel or strawberry/raspberry sauce (for blood)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and red food coloring. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, then mix in fizzy vinegar mixture.
- Fill liners 2/3 full and bake 18-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Crumble one cupcake and mix crumbs with sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, and red food coloring to create a bloody filling.
- Core centers of cupcakes and fill each with the bloody mixture.
- Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with milk, until smooth and pipeable. Mix in vanilla and a drop of ivory/peach food coloring for skin tone.
- Frost cupcakes with buttercream. Use a toothpick or knife tip to create two fang marks. Add red gel or sauce to the bite marks and let drip for a bloody effect.
- Chill briefly to set, then serve at your Halloween party.