Who says Halloween treats have to be spooky? Sometimes, it’s all about the color combination that vibes with the festive spirit. That’s why my cat and moon cupcakes, with their whimsical look, are always a hit come October. A splash of orange, a touch of black, a sprinkle of mystery, and there you have it—a Halloween-themed dessert that’s sure to impress.
Why These Cute Cakes Make Perfect Halloween Goodies
They’re a true work of art. Orange, black, and yellow make for the perfect Halloween party theme, don’t they? You don’t have to be an artist to breathe life into these festive cupcakes. The vibrant orange icing and the shiny yellow moon create a striking background to flatter the black cat. Its ghastly expression adds a whimsical touch to the “picture,” while a sprinkle of sugar crystals makes the whole scene sparkle like a moonlit night.
They taste as good as they look. Each bite starts with a creamy indulgence of the silky smooth frosting, followed by a delightful crunch of sugar crystals, all mingling with the moist cupcake. The candy coating even adds extra sweetness to the flavor. Get ready for a sugar bomb this Halloween!
Get your family in on the fun! Festive time is family time, so why not ask other members to join the baking game? The decoration is like a walk in the park. All you have to do is to pipe the frosting and arrange the moon and the cat. Your little ones will definitely love it!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients and kitchen tools you’ll need:
16oz Yellow Candy Coating | |
Black Baking Cups – Set of 32 | |
Yellow Sugar Crystals | |
Orange Sanding Sugar – 4 oz. | |
Black Cat Picks – Set of 24 | |
White Sucker Sticks 4.5″ x 5/32″- Set of 50 | |
Cupcakes Baked In Black Liners | |
Orange Buttercream |
5 Steps To Make Cat and Moon Halloween Cupcakes
Step 1
First, you should bake a batch of cupcakes and let them cool down before frosting. I whipped up 18 vanilla cupcakes for my party, but feel free to make more or less depending on the number of your guests.
Feeling adventurous? Let’s add some flavor twists with salted caramel cupcakes, funfetti cupcakes, or marble cupcakes. Just remember to leave out the decorating. We only need the base cupcakes, my friends!
Next, prepare some orange frosting. Don’t worry; I only made some buttercream frosting and dollopped a few drops of orange food coloring. And that’s it!
Step 2
Once all the cupcakes cool completely, it’s frosting time! Pour the orange icing into a piping bag and start to frost each bare cupcake.
I piped it in a circular motion so that when I placed the cats on top, it looked like they were standing on a whirlwind. You know, it adds a bit of drama to the story.
Don’t have any piping bags on hand? No sweat! Use a silicone spatula instead, but you might not create the whirlwind effect with this utensil. Just smooth out the icing to create an even surface.
Finally, sprinkle them with orange sanding sugar and place them in the fridge while you create the moons.
Step 3
Put some yellow candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it at half power. Every 30 seconds, pop the bowl out of the microwave and stir it well. Repeat until the coating is fully melted, but be careful not to overheat it, as it can burn.
Step 4
Grab a piece of parchment paper and use a pencil to draw 2 ¼-inch circles, enough to decorate all the festive cupcakes. Let your little one do this; they’ll love it!
Flip the paper over on the tray so you can see the outline of the circles. Scoop some melted candy coating onto each circle and use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly along the outline. They don’t need to be picture-perfect, though.
Make sure each circle is less than ⅛ inch thick so they won’t weigh down the cupcake. My daughter made thicker moons (about ¼ inch thick), and the cake kept tipping over once she placed the moon on it.
Set the leftover candy coating aside.
Step 5
When the coating is still liquid, sprinkle the tops of the circles with yellow sugar crystals and place the tray in the fridge for 10 minutes until they firm up. Then, pop it out of the refrigerator and flip the circles over.
Remember the remaining candy coating? If it has hardened, put it in the microwave to melt it again. Grab some sucker sticks, dip them into the melted coating, and stick them to the back of the moons one by one.
Trim off the sticks if they’re too long for the black cat cupcakes. You don’t want them to sink too deep into the cake, which might break it apart.
Now, put the tray back in the fridge for another 5 minutes to settle.
Step 6
Assembly time! Insert the moons into the chilled, frosted cupcakes. The moon should be partly submerged in the frosting to blend seamlessly. We don’t want any nasty white sticks showing!
Then, finish with a black kitty cat pick in front of the moon. There you have it—a mysterious, striking Halloween treat.
Some Recipe Notes
- Use black paper liners when baking the cupcakes. I must say that this can make or break the vibe of our desserts. I’ve tested with yellow, white, and pink liners, but none could live up to the bizarre, dark aura that the black ones give off. They create a mysterious vibe and match the black cats.
- Want a pop of color for the party? Let’s go wild with colorful sprinkles instead of orange sanding sugar! Once you pipe the frosting, immediately scatter some colorful sprinkles on top. Keep in mind that you will be trading the iconic orange base for a more vibrant background.
- You can replace the plastic black cat cupcake picks with chocolate or candy cats. Just melt the chocolate or candy and pour it into a cat mold. Let it harden in the fridge for about 30 minutes, and you’ll have lovely edible cats for decoration!
- Since we are dealing with lots of sugar crystals and sanding sugar here, remember to store your beautiful cupcakes in a cool and dry place. Prolonged exposure to moisture can melt them quickly, and you’ll end up with messy, runny cupcakes!
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Happy baking!