Wickedly Fun Halloween Cupcakes

Owls are cute, but baby owls are a hoot! When it comes to Halloween cupcake ideas, these adorable owl desserts take the cake.

To make these Halloween cupcakes, follow these cupcake decorating steps:

1. Spread head and body of owl with chocolate frosting, leaving a wedge-shape area for the stomach. Frost the stomach area with yellow frosting.

2. Insert sliced almonds into yellow frosting for feathers. Place chocolate chips on top of head for ear feathers.

3. Make eyes by adding two white candy coating disks topped with two mini brown candy-coated chocolate pieces stuck on with yellow frosting.

4. Use orange mini candy-coated chocolate pieces to make a beak and claws.

Guests will howl with delight when they see these spooky cupcakes. All it takes is purchased frosting and a few candies to make this monstrous dessert.

Black cat cupcakes are anything but bad luck! Instead, they will charm your Halloween guests. Watch how easy it is to make these yellow-eyed sweets.

Follow these cupcake decorating steps to create these superstitious cupcakes:

1. Frost each cupcake with chocolate frosting.

2. Pour chocolate sprinkles into a bowl. Lightly press the top of each cupcake into the sprinkles to coat the frosting with sprinkles.

3. Cut a yellow gumdrop in half to use as eyes. Cut short pieces of black shoestring licorice to use as pupils, and press onto the cut side of each gumdrop half. Lightly press each gumdrop half into cupcakes to form eyes.

4. Cut chocolate candy coating disks into triangles to serve as ears. Press two triangles into the frosting from the side.

5. Cut pieces of black shoestring licorice for whiskers. Arrange on top of cupcake as desired. Pipe a dot of chocolate frosting into the center of the whiskers for a nose.

Supernatural forces can't chain these ethereal cupcake ghosts to your Halloween table. They'll vanish as soon as your guests glimpse their billowing forms and taste the white chocolate cupcakes hidden beneath the ghostly Halloween cupcake toppers.

Use our cupcake decorating ideas below to complete each of these spooky cupcakes:

1. Generously pipe frosting onto a 2-1/2-inch cupcake. Remove paper bake cup from a 1-3/4-inch cupcake and place the small cupcake, upside down, on top of the large cupcake. Generously pipe frosting on top of small cupcake. Top with a doughnut hole. Use frosting to secure any unstable parts of the stack.

2. On parchment paper, roll a 1-1/2-inch-diameter ball of fondant into a 6-inch-diameter circle. Drape fondant circle loosely over the cupcake stack, pressing or creasing fondant to make the stack look more ghostlike.

3. Use frosting to attach candy-coated sunflower kernels to the fondant for eyes and mouth, or use black icing to pipe eyes and mouth.

You can serve up these spooky cupcakes even if you're not in the mood for Halloween baking. Start with frosted store-bought or homemade cupcakes for these quick and haunting Halloween-theme treats.

To make the mummy cupcakes, follow these decorating steps:

1. Use a pastry bag with a basket-weave tip to pipe on white frosting.

2. Pipe on red frosting for the mummy's eyes.

3. Make two dots using black frosting for the pupils.

Start these not-so-scary cupcakes with Halloween icing. The orange and brown frostings make a foundation perfect for adhering Halloween candies. You're not limited to one type of candy—turn any of your favorite treats into Halloween cupcake decorations.

To make these Halloween cupcakes, use these cupcake decorating steps:

1. Make or purchase a batch of buttercream frosting. Use food coloring to tint half orange and the other half brown. You can use melted chocolate or chocolate frosting if you don't have brown food coloring. Frost half of the cupcakes orange and half brown.

2. Decorate orange-frosted cupcakes with candy corn and brown-frosted cupcakes with malted milk balls.

Cupcakes for Halloween don't have to be scary. With bright orange and radiant red frosting, these cute, spiky monster cupcakes are more edible than menacing.

Follow these simple steps to decorate the cupcakes:

1. Use a pastry bag with a grass tip to pipe on tinted orange or red frosting.

2. Pipe on white frosting for the monster eyes.

3. Make two dots with black frosting for the pupils (or use mini chocolate chips).

Swirling eyes and sharp white teeth are sure to spook your party guests! With just a few easy ingredients like candy and snack cakes, you've got a sweet treat perfect for every Halloween party.

To make these Halloween cupcake toppers, follow these steps:

1. Pipe frosting high onto prepared cupcakes. Carefully cut chocolate-swirl snack cakes into 1/4-inch-thick slices for the swirly monster eyes. The chocolate coating on the cakes will crack off easily, so be careful during this step. Or just remove the outer chocolate layer altogether.

2. Press the eyes onto the frosting atop the cupcakes. Cut round gummy candies in half and press them into the sides of the frosting as ears.

3. Cut black licorice into small pieces and attach as noses. Press gum or mints into the frosting to create teeth.

With such a simple design, these pumpkin cupcakes can be made quickly for any Halloween event on your calendar. You can also populate your pumpkin patch with mini Halloween cupcakes for guests who want a bite-size dessert.

To decorate the Halloween cupcakes, follow these steps:

1. Frost cupcakes with orange frosting and dust with orange sprinkles.

2. Use a wooden skewer to draw pumpkin veins radiating from the center to the outer edge of the cupcakes.

3. Break large pretzel rods into small pieces, and stick into the top of the pumpkin cupcakes for stems.

If scary Halloween cupcakes with ghosts and monsters aren't for you, turn a classic Halloween candy into a cute cupcake! For an extra adorable touch, top with a candy corn.

To make these Halloween cupcakes, use these cupcake decorating steps:

1. Tint a portion of white frosting with orange food coloring. Tint a second portion with yellow food coloring. Keep another portion white.

2. Place each frosting color in its own pastry bag with a large round tip. Pipe frosting on cupcakes to resemble candy corn.

Turn your Halloween cupcake designs cute instead of spooky. This eight-legged cupcake cutie sports a friendly grin for any festive occasion. Licorice pieces create the lengthy legs and sweet smirk.

Follow these steps to decorate the Halloween cupcake:

1. Cover a cupcake with chocolate icing and sprinkles.

2. For eyes, attach sour ball halves to circle mints using icing.

3. Place the eyes and a candy-coated milk chocolate piece nose on the cupcake.

4. Form a smile with a small piece of red licorice.

5. Use eight long slivers of black licorice for legs and two short slivers for pincers; cut into points and insert into cupcake.

Your Halloween baking isn't complete until you've made these fall cupcakes that can be enjoyed all season long. Celebrate the harvest with seven seasonal treats, decorated to look like cute pumpkins, spooky graveyards, and even corn cobs.

Owls usually come out at night, but in cupcake form they can make an appearance anytime. Make a batch of owls to ensure that your Halloween party will be a hoot.

To make these Halloween cupcakes, follow these decorating steps:

1. Frost cupcake. Arrange split raspberry or vanilla creme sandwich cookies as eyes. Use more frosting to attach candy-coated chocolate pieces to centers of eyes.

2. Insert a cashew for a beak.

3. Cover the rest of the cupcake with sliced almonds for feathers.

Our Frankenstein cupcakes are alive with yummy sweetness. With signature neck bolts made from pretzels, these marshmallow Halloween cupcake toppers are sweet and salty.

To make Frankenstein cupcakes, follow these steps:

1. Spray white frosting and a marshmallow with green spray icing.

2. Break a pretzel stick in half; press pieces into each side of the marshmallow to make neck bolts.

3. Press marshmallow onto the cupcake for the head.

4. Pipe on black frosting to make the hair, eyes, and mouth.

No bones about it: This cupcake is fit for Halloween and tasty to boot. White candies form sweet skeleton cupcakes that won't rattle your bones.

To make this Halloween cupcake, follow these decorating ideas:

1. Place a large white candy mint on top of a chocolate-frosted cupcake; decorate face with brown icing.

2. Arrange licorice pastels to make arms and legs.

3. Place small mints at the bottom of the legs for the skeleton's feet.

4. Use white sprinkles to make the skeleton's ribs.

You might not think of using gummy worms to decorate, but we have Halloween cupcake decorations that make use of these soft and fruity treats. The writhing serpents encircle Medusa's face, but this mythical creature will turn guests gleeful, not stony. Gummy worms cleverly morph ordinary cupcakes into legendary treats.

To make this fun monster, follow these Halloween cupcake decorating steps:

1. Frost a cupcake with chocolate frosting.

2. Cut gummy worms into long, thin strips. Curl and pile strips on top of cupcake.

3. For eyes, use chocolate frosting to attach two round white candies to the cupcake. Partially bury the eyes in the pile of worms. Place chocolate frosting in a decorating bag fitted with a small round tip to pipe center dots on candy eyes.

These spots might make guests swoon, but the sweet treats will revive them. The polka-dot patterns on these Halloween-theme cupcakes are easy to re-create, yet the impact on your buffet is impressive.

To make these Halloween cupcakes, follow these decorating steps:

1. Bake or buy regular-size and mini cupcakes. Frost half of the cupcakes with chocolate frosting and half with orange frosting.

2. Arrange candy-coated milk chocolate pieces, such as M&Ms, on top of the frosted cupcakes. Use orange candies on the chocolate-frosted cupcakes and brown candies on the orange-frosted cupcakes to create polka-dot contrast in classic Halloween colors.

Editor's Tip: Use gel paste food coloring to tint vanilla frosting orange. Add coloring until you reach the desired color.

These Halloween cupcakes are keeping an eye out for you. A red velvet cupcake becomes partyworthy with red icing and doughnut holes.

To make these spooky cupcakes, follow these decorating steps:

1. Use purchased red icing to pipe red zigzags atop white-frosted cupcakes.

2. Place circle gummy candies on top of each Halloween cupcake, using white frosting to secure.

3. Dip small doughnut holes in melted white chocolate or icing; place on top of gummy candies for eyes.

4. Use icing to attach small chocolate candies to the tops of doughnut holes for the pupils.

No horror stories here. The whispers that haunt these creepy plots speak of delightful cookies-and-cream cupcakes. Despite specters of shadowy ghosts and unearthly wanderers, these scary cupcakes enshroud only good things.

To make each tombstone Halloween cupcake, follow these decorating steps:

1. Split a chocolate sandwich cookie in half. Remove and discard filling. Using a serrated knife, cut a cookie half to make a tombstone shape. Crush remaining cookie and trimmings. Pipe a message in white frosting onto flat side of tombstone.

2. Place melted chocolate candy coating in a heavy resealable plastic bag; snip off a small corner. Pipe a leafless tree, 3 to 4 inches tall (make it thick so it won't break when hardened), onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Chill until chocolate hardens.

3. Frost a cupcake with white frosting. Insert a cookie tombstone. Use a toothpick to make a small hole in cupcake top. Carefully peel chocolate tree from waxed paper and insert into hole; use frosting to secure tree. If desired, add a candy pumpkin.

4. Place green-tinted frosting in a heavy resealable plastic bag; snip off a small corner. Using quick upward motions, pipe grass accents around tombstone, tree, and pumpkin. Sprinkle cupcake with crushed cookies.

Take a trip to the pumpkin patch with these oh-so-easy Halloween cupcakes. The easy fall design makes for a fun—not scary—Halloween treat.

To make these pumpkin cupcakes, follow these cupcake decorating tips:

1. Tint frosting with green and brown paste food colorings to reach desired grass color.

2. Place frosting in a large pastry bag fitted with a multi-opening (grass) tip. Using quick upward motions, pipe frosting to look like grass on top of each cupcake.

3. Place two or three candy pumpkins on top of each cupcake. If desired, change pastry-bag tip to a small round tip; pipe up and over the green stem end of each candy pumpkin to form tendrils.

Slices of marshmallow create a cute mummy cupcake you won't be able to keep under wraps for long. Even better, you can make a big batch of these Halloween cupcake toppers and place them on a variety of cupcake and frosting flavors.

To decorate the Halloween cupcake, follow these steps:

1. Dust a frosted cupcake with granulated sugar.

2. Cut a marshmallow into three slices, cutting to but not through the opposite side. Place marshmallow on top of the cupcake for the mummy's head.

3. Place two small mint candies between the top two marshmallow slices for eyes, using frosting to attach.

4. Place a candy-coated chocolate between the bottom two marshmallow slices for the mouth, using frosting to attach.

Our deliciously haunting eyeball cupcake may be spooky to look at, but it is certain to become a focal point at your holiday party.

To make this Halloween cupcake, follow these steps:

1. Make red velvet cake mix in individual fluted tube pans.

2. Once cooled, pipe each cupcake with white icing in a zigzag pattern around an eyeball candy.

These chocolate Halloween-theme cupcakes are brewing up trouble. Licorice handles, a pudding filling, and green decorating gel make these cauldron cupcakes quite the sight.

To decorate the Halloween cupcakes, follow these simple steps:

1. Hollow out the centers of chocolate cupcakes to form a cauldron.

2. Ice around the tops and sides of the cupcakes with chocolate frosting; cover in chocolate cookie crumbs.

3. Fill the cupcake openings with green-dyed vanilla pudding, then decorate with green gel, an array of green sprinkles, and a few pieces of small green candy.

4. Bend a small strip of licorice and insert on opposite sides of each cupcake to form the cauldron handle. If desired, add a chocolate-stick stirrer.

This coconut-topped Halloween witch cupcake may look more than a little wicked, but we promise it will be sweet. These cute Halloween cupcake toppers will fit right in on any spooky treat table.

To make the Halloween dessert recipe, follow these cupcake decorating steps:

1. Mold black marzipan boots around two peppermint sticks to create the legs.

2. Stick mini yellow candy-coated chocolates on each boot for the buckles, using frosting to secure.

3. Dye coconut green with food coloring; top a frosted cupcake with the coconut.

4. Insert peppermint sticks into the cupcake.

No scary cupcakes here! With his blue spiked 'do—created with a closed-star icing tip—this cute Halloween cupcake has both style and personality.

To make the monster cupcake, follow these decorating tips:

1. Tint frosting orange and ice the cupcake.

2. Tint frosting teal; pipe on spikes using a closed-star tip.

3. Roll white fondant 1/8 inch thick. Cut eyes using the narrow and large ends of a large round decorating tip.

4. Pipe on black pupils and a mouth with a small round decorating tip. Roll white fondant 1/16 inch thick. Cut teeth and nails using a knife.

5. Tint fondant teal and roll 1/16 inch thick. Cut out hands using a knife.

6. Attach fondant features using a damp brush.

Fondant, icing, and round decorating tips are the basics you'll need to turn an ordinary cupcake into a spooky green monster. Just warn your guests—this little guy will be watching their every move!

Follow these decorating tips to make this Halloween cupcake topper:

1. Tint frosting green and ice the cupcake.

2. Tint fondant green; shape into six curved and tapered arms.

3. Use white icing and a small round decorating tip to pipe on suckers.

4. For the bows, tint fondant pink and roll 1/16 inch thick. Cut two 1-1/2x1/4-inch strips. Fold ends toward the center and pinch together. Cut a 1/4-inch strip and wrap the center, flattening the ends on the back.

5. Roll a small amount of pink fondant for the nose.

6. Pipe on white frosting eyes using a small round tip.

7. Cut a green fondant eyelids using a knife. Roll white fondant 1/16 inch thick. Using a knife, cut teeth. Attach fondant features using a damp brush.

8. Pipe on a black frosting nostrils, mouth, pupils, and eyelashes using a small round decorating tip.

Editor's Tip: To ensure the fondant bows and arms retain their shapes, prepare and let dry 48 hours before attaching.

You can pick from a variety of Halloween cupcake recipes for the base of this dessert—the real spooky magic comes from the ghostly design on top. Marshmallow creme is the secret behind this ghost. The orange frosting on the cupcake helps make the spooky soul pop.

To make the cupcake, follow these steps:

1. Microwave 1 cup marshmallow creme (enough for eight cupcakes) in a microwave-safe bowl on high 20 seconds or until warm. Cool slightly. Place in a large heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; snip one corner and pipe a ghost shape onto a frosted cupcake.

2. Quickly attach chocolate chips or other small candies for ghost eyes and mouth before marshmallow creme sets.

This spooky cupcake is sure to be a monster hit at your Halloween get-together. Big eyes and spiky hair transform a plain cupcake into a special All Hallow's Eve treat.

To make the cupcake, follow these steps:

1. Insert sour candy corn into the frosting for hair.

2. Cut one thin candy wafer in half and place at the top of baking cup for eyes.

3. Use frosting to stick two blue mini candy-coated chocolates to candy wafer halves for pupils.

If you're in the mood to decorate, these monster Halloween cupcake decorations are a great afternoon project for you and your little helpers. This goofy and spooky blue Halloween cupcake is as much fun to make as it is to eat.

To make the monster cupcake, follow these steps:

1. Tint frosting teal and ice the cupcake.

2. Tint small amounts of fondant rose and green. Shape small balls of each color into curved and tapered horns; insert into the cupcake. To ensure the horns retain their shapes, prepare and let dry 48 hours before attaching.

3. Tint a small amount of fondant blue and a small amount pink. Roll pink and blue fondant each 1/16 inch thick. Form into ear shapes using scissors; insert into the cupcake.

4. Pipe on frosting eyes and pupils with a small round decorating tip.

5. Tint frosting red; pipe on a mouth using a small round decorating tip.

6. Roll white fondant 1/16 inch thick. Cut out teeth using scissors, and attach using a damp brush.

Take your extra candy and turn it into Halloween cupcake toppers! This chocolaty goblin cupcake, made with sour candy and jelly beans, will be gobbled up in a flash at your next Halloween bash.

To make the Halloween goblin cupcake, follow these steps:

1. Cut or tear sour gummy straws in half, and insert them into a chocolate-frosted cupcake for the goblin's hair.

2. Use sour gummy rings for eyes.

3. Put a white jelly bean in each ring for eyes and top with a mini chocolate chip (or a dab of chocolate icing).

4. Place a green jelly bean under the sour gummy rings for the goblin's nose.

This Halloween cupcake is sure to cause quite a stir at your party, especially if there's a full moon. Use shredded wheat cereal and candy to create this hair-raising werewolf cupcake worth howling over.

Decorate this spooky cupcake using these steps:

1. Use pieces of shredded wheat cereal to create the werewolf's hair, beard, and whiskers, pressing it into the top of a frosted cupcake.

2. Press two mini red candy-coated chocolates into the cupcake for eyes.

3. Make a dot with icing on each candy-coated chocolate for the pupils.

4. Press two candy corn pieces on both sides of the eyes for ears.

5. Tear off a small piece of black licorice for the nose.

6. Pipe on white frosting to make the mouth.

7. Press two candy-coated or frosted sunflower kernels on each side of the mouth for fangs.

These witch cupcakes just might put a spell on your Halloween guests. Chocolate ice cream cones stand in for the pointy hats in these towering Halloween cupcake toppers.

Decorate the witch Halloween cupcakes using these steps:

1. Spoon melted chocolate over sugar cones; sprinkle with edible glitter, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or black colored sugar.

2. Make heads out of rounds cut from pound cake; cover front and back side of each round in green frosting.

3. Ice the cupcake with black frosting; top with frosted pound cake rounds.

4. Cover the tops of the heads with green frosting and toasted coconut for hair.

5. Place a chocolate wafer cookie on top of the pound cake rounds.

6. Place chocolate-covered cones on top of wafer cookies using melted chocolate to hold in place.

7. Microwave green log-shape candies for a few seconds just to soften; form into noses and warts, and attach to the faces using frosting.

8. Use white and black tube frosting to pipe on eyes, eyebrows, and mouths.

9. Microwave yellow log-shape candies just long enough to soften; cut into teeth, and use frosting to secure to the faces.

Cupcakes for Halloween can be bright and cheery, too! This vibrant pink cupcake monster is sure to be the best dressed. A pretty orange bow accents its licorice locks, making it ready for Halloween guests to gobble up.

To make this Halloween cupcake monster, follow these steps:

1. Tint fondant rose and roll 1/16 inch thick. Cover the cupcake with fondant; cut fondant arms using a knife.

2. For the hair, cut licorice pieces and insert into top of the cupcake as shown.

3. For the bow, tint fondant orange and roll 1/16 inch thick. Cut two 1-1/2x1/4-inch strips. Fold ends toward the center and pinch together. Cut a 1/4x1-inch strip and wrap the center, flattening the ends on the back.

4. Tint fondant teal and roll 1/16 inch thick. Cut nose shape using a knife. Pipe black nostrils with a small round decorating tip.

5. For the eyes, roll white fondant 1/16 inch thick. Cut eyes with knife. Pipe black pupils with a small round decorating tip.

6. Attach features and bow using a damp brush. Insert arms onto each side of cupcake. Pipe black eyelashes with a small round decorating tip.

Editor's Tip: To ensure the fondant bows and arms retain their shapes, prepare and let dry 48 hours before attaching.

With an ice cream cone hat and a candy corn nose, this tasty scarecrow cupcake is better suited for eating than for protecting the fields from scary birds. Your treat table just won't be complete without this cute Halloween cupcake design.

Decorate Halloween cupcakes using these simple steps:

1. Snip green fruit leather into thin, short strips, and place on top of the cupcake for hair.

2. Place a piece of candy corn in the center of the cupcake for the nose.

3. Put a jelly bean on each side of the nose; attach a mini candy-coated chocolate to each jelly bean using a dab of frosting to secure.

4. Curve a piece of black string licorice into a smile below the nose. Place small pieces of licorice across the smile for teeth.

5. Attach a wafer ice cream cone to the cupcake for a hat.

Transform an ordinary cupcake into a scary peekaboo creation with candy pieces and eerie green frosting. These Halloween-theme cupcakes won't stay under wraps for long.

To make these spooky cupcakes, follow these steps:

1. Place two candy-coated chocolate pieces on top of a frosted cupcake for eyes.

2. Decorate eyes using white frosting and mini chocolate chips.

3. Crisscross the cupcake with green icing.

With its multiple eyes and long pink tongue, this monster cupcake has character. A green fondant bow rests atop her head—a great finishing touch for this monster of a Halloween cupcake.

To make this fun Halloween-theme cupcake, follow these steps:

1. For the bow, tint fondant leaf green and roll 1/16 inch thick. Cut two 1-1/2x1/4-inch strips. Fold ends toward the center and pinch ends together. Cut a 2x1/4-inch strip and notch a V on each end; let dry. Lay folded strip on top of the notched strip. Cut a 1/4x1-inch strip and wrap the center, flattening the ends on the back.

2. Tint fondant rose and roll 1/16 inch thick; cover the cupcake with fondant.

3. Tint fondant black and roll 1/16 inch thick. Cut fondant into a mouth shape using a knife. Attach the mouth using a damp brush.

4. Shape white fondant into eyes. Use rose fondant to cut eyelids using a knife; press onto the eyes.

5. Pipe on black pupils and eyelashes with a small round icing tip.

6. Roll white fondant 1/16 inch thick. Cut out teeth using a knife.

7. Cut a rose uvula using a knife.

8. Attach the bow, eyes, teeth, and uvula using a damp brush. Tint fondant orange and pipe dots with a small round decorating tip.

9. Roll out gumdrops on waxed paper sprinkled with sugar. Cut rolled gumdrops into a tongue shape using scissors dipped in sugar. Score the tongue down the center and insert in place.

Editor's Tip: To ensure the fondant bow retains its shape, prepare and let dry 48 hours before attaching.

These monstrous Halloween cupcakes—made with frosting, gumdrops, fruit leather, and more—are the perfect treat to serve holiday guests. Use these cupcake decorating ideas to inspire your own personalized spooky creations!

Decorate cupcakes using the following steps:

1. Cut the rounded tops off cupcakes and reserve. Frost cut surfaces of cupcakes with black frosting.

2. Place a large gumdrop half at the center front on top of each cupcake.

3. Spread green, orange, and purple frosting over reserved cupcake tops as shown.

4. Place frosted tops over gumdrop halves on cupcakes, tipping each top back slightly to form a mouth.

5. For eyes, attach a small piece of black candy to a slice of marshmallow; insert a small piece of black licorice into bottom of marshmallow slice. Press into cupcake. (Or make eyes from gumdrop pieces and small black candies and/or marshmallow halves, gumdrop pieces, and small black candies.)

6. For teeth, cut marshmallows into pieces or use white small oval mints.

7. For tongues, lay a fruit leather roll flat; fold and press together to make four layers. Use scissors to cut out tongue shapes.

8. Attach candy circus peanut pieces to the fronts of cupcakes for feet (optional). Sprinkle with toasted coconut for hair (optional).

Everyone will go batty for these chocolaty Halloween cupcakes. A cookie, a candy, and some creativity are all it takes to make these swooping Halloween cupcake toppers.

To make the haunted Halloween treat, follow these cupcake decorating steps:

1. Cover a frosted cupcake with colored sprinkles.

2. Break a chocolate cookie wafer in half; use purchased green icing to create wing designs on each piece of the cookie wafer.

3. Place a candy-coated chocolate in the middle of the cupcake for the head.

4. Make two dots for eyes using green icing.

5. Insert the decorated chocolate wafer halves on each side of the head for the bat's wings.

Encourage monkey business at your party with these Halloween cupcake decorations. Kids will love the super-easy grinning monkey design topping these cute cupcakes. The disguise hides none of the fun!

To make this cute Halloween cupcake, follow these steps:

1. Print our free masked-monkey design, available below, on heavy paper.

2. Use a scalloped circle punch to cut out the cupcake toppers.

3. Cut an orange straw to desired length and adhere to the back of the topper; press into your favorite frosted cupcake.

This orange monster cupcake looks frightfully friendly with a toothy grin and wide-open arms. You can customize the faces on each monster to make cute or scary cupcakes—or both!

To make this Halloween dessert, follow these easy cupcake decorating tips:

1. Tint fondant orange and roll 1/16 inch thick; cover the cupcake with fondant.

2. Tint fondant teal and shape into ears, arms, and nose. Let dry. To ensure these parts retain their shapes, prepare and let dry 48 hours before attaching.

3. Roll white fondant 1/16 inch thick. Cut out teeth using a knife.

4. Insert fondant arms, ears, nose, and teeth. Cut out eyes using the wide end of a large round decorating icing tip.

5. Pipe on pupils and eyebrows using black frosting and a small round decorating tip.

6. Roll out white or light green gumdrops on waxed paper sprinkled with sugar; cut into antler shapes with scissors dipped in sugar; insert in place.

Even if you're busy crafting a costume, there are no excuses for plain cupcakes at Halloween. Bake up a batch of these spooky cupcakes that are as easy as can be.

To make the easy Halloween cupcake, follow these steps:

1. Place two white candy-coated almonds on the chocolate-frosted cupcake for eyes.

2. Stick two pieces of puffed cocoa cereal on top of the candy-coated almonds for pupils, using frosting to secure.