Description
Bloody Eyeball Cupcakes are a spooky and fun dessert perfect for Halloween or themed parties. These red velvet cupcakes are filled with cherry pie filling for a ‘bloody’ surprise, topped with creamy cheesecake frosting and finished with creepy eyeball candies for a dramatic effect.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box red velvet cake mix, plus ingredients on back of box
- 1 small box cheesecake instant pudding mix
Filling
- About 1 cup cherry pie filling
Frosting
- 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 stick butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tbsp cream or milk
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
Decoration
- Red sparkle food gel
- Eyeball gumballs or another eyeball candy
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with about 16 cupcake liners and set aside.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, prepare the red velvet cake mix according to the package directions until smooth. Stir in the cheesecake instant pudding mix until fully incorporated.
- Bake cupcakes: Evenly portion the batter into the lined muffin tins, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with light moist crumbs. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
- Core the cupcakes: Using a small paring knife, carefully remove the centers of each cooled cupcake to create cavities. Discard the removed centers.
- Fill cupcakes: Use a small spoon to fill each cupcake cavity with cherry pie filling, placing at least two cherries in the center for a ‘bloody’ effect. Set the filled cupcakes aside.
- Prepare the frosting: In a stand mixer bowl, beat together cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla extract, and cream or milk on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, about 1 cup at a time, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Pipe the frosting: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large open-circle tip. Pipe the frosting high onto each filled cupcake, fully covering the cherry centers.
- Decorate cupcakes: Use red sparkle food gel to draw squiggly lines vertically along the sides of the frosting, starting from the top point. Place an eyeball gumball on top of each cupcake to complete the look.
- Serve: Serve the cupcakes immediately or store them chilled until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before coring and filling to prevent crumbling.
- The cherry pie filling adds a juicy texture and ‘bloody’ effect; frozen or fresh cherries can be used as a substitute if desired.
- For easier filling, use a melon baller or cupcake corer tool instead of a knife.
- Red velvet cake mix can be homemade if preferred for a from-scratch option.
- Store cupcakes covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days to keep the frosting fresh.
- Eyeball candies can be replaced with other Halloween-themed candies for variety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
