Creepy Halloween Skull Cupcakes

Step 01

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cases.

Step 02

Beat the cake mix, water, eggs and vegetable oil together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth.

Step 03

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.

Step 04

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Leave the cupcakes in the tins for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 05

Spoon a generous mound of vanilla frosting/icing onto each cupcake and spread it into a rounded dome shape to resemble a skull, leaving a narrow ledge around the edge for the eyes and jaw.

Step 06

Snip a small hole in one corner of the chocolate frosting/icing pouch. Squeeze chocolate frosting/icing into two deep circles on each cupcake for the eye sockets and add a small triangle for the nose.

Step 07

Pipe a thin horizontal line for the mouth and then pipe short vertical lines across it to create the look of teeth or a stitched jaw.

Step 08

Let the frosting/icing set before serving. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.