Halloween Ghost Cupcakes

Halloween Ghost Cupcakes bring a whimsical and festive touch to your Halloween celebrations with their vibrant purple base and fluffy white meringue ghost toppers. These cupcakes balance a rich buttercream frosting with the lightness of air dried meringue, making them both visually impressive and delicious. They are easy to make, allowing you to add a unique and playful dessert to your party table or enjoy a fun baking project at home.

I first tried making these on a quiet Halloween afternoon, and the look on my kids’ faces when they saw the ghost faces was priceless. Now they ask for these every year to share with their friends at school.

Ingredients

• Two large egg whites: provide the perfect base for the meringue ghosts choose fresh eggs for best volume
• Quarter teaspoon cream of tartar: stabilizes the egg whites to ensure stiff peaks essential for meringue success
• Half a cup white sugar: sweetens and helps to give structure to the meringue using fine granulated sugar works best
• One stick unsalted butter softened: enriches the buttercream with creamy texture and balanced flavor
• Two cups confectioners’ sugar: dissolves smoothly into the buttercream for silky finish fresh powdered sugar with no lumps is ideal
• Two tablespoons milk: loosens the buttercream slightly for easy spreading whole milk gives richness
• Purple gel food coloring: offers vibrant consistent color without affecting batter texture gel colors are better than liquid for vivid shades
• Black decorating frosting: used to create the ghost faces pick a frosting with a fine tip for precise details

Instructions

Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet:

Set your oven to a low 200 degrees Fahrenheit or 93 Celsius. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of meringue ghosts.

Beat Egg Whites and Add Stabilizer:

In a large, clean bowl, begin beating the egg whites on low speed. Add cream of tartar which helps to stabilize the egg whites and prevents them from collapsing as you beat.

Whip in Sugar Gradually:

Slowly add white sugar in portions while increasing your mixer speed to high. Continue whipping the mixture until you get stiff, glossy peaks that hold their shape firmly.

Pipe Meringue Ghosts:

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag. Pipe small ghostly mounds onto your prepared baking sheet by pressing and swirling gently to form shapes that will look like floating ghosts.

Bake and Dry the Meringue:

Let the meringue bake for about 2 hours. After that time, turn off the oven but leave the meringues inside for another 30 minutes to fully dry out without browning.

Make the Purple Buttercream:

While the meringue bakes, combine the softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and purple gel food coloring in a mixing bowl. Beat together until smooth, creamy, and well blended.

Frost Cupcakes and Add Ghosts:

Spread the purple buttercream evenly over cooled cupcakes. Carefully place one meringue ghost on top of each frosted cupcake.

Decorate Ghost Faces:

Use black decorating frosting to draw eyes and mouths on the meringue ghosts. Keep designs simple and cute for the most charming effect.

I love the softly whipped purple buttercream best it contrasts so nicely with the crisp ghost tops. One Halloween, my niece insisted we make extra meringues just for decorating the house with ghost shapes. It turned into a fun crafting afternoon as well as baking.

Storage Tips

Store these cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days to maintain the meringue’s crispness. Longer storage will soften the meringue. If necessary, keep the cupcakes in the fridge but bring to room temperature before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions

You can use aquafaba (chickpea water) instead of egg whites for a vegan version of the meringue. For the purple color, natural options like blueberry juice powder or activated charcoal mixed carefully can add a different twist. Butter in the frosting can be swapped for margarine if preferred.

Serving Suggestions

These cupcakes work wonderfully as a centerpiece on your Halloween party table. Pair with a warm spiced apple cider or a creamy hot chocolate for cozy vibes. Adding edible silver or purple sprinkles can heighten the festive look.

These Halloween Ghost Cupcakes are as fun to make as they are to eat. They add a playful spooky touch to any party.

Common Questions About Recipes

→ What ingredients create the ghost shapes?

Egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar are whipped to stiff peaks and baked into meringue ghosts.

→ How do you achieve the purple color?

Adding purple gel food coloring to the buttercream gives the cupcakes their vibrant hue.

→ What is the baking temperature for the meringue?

The meringue ghosts bake slowly at 200°F (93°C) to dry without browning.

→ How is the meringue decorated?

Black decorating frosting is used to create eyes and mouths on the meringue ghosts.

→ What texture contrasts do these cupcakes offer?

The dense, moist cupcakes contrast with the light, airy meringue and creamy buttercream frosting.