These cupcakes look guilty. I made them during Halloween baking, and one slipped off the tray before the guests even arrived.
The mess was worth it. Blood-splatter cupcakes sound dramatic, but they are really just easy Halloween desserts with better timing.
No costume required. They fit right in with horror-themed cupcakes and Halloween desserts for adults—unless the kids get there first.
Bloody Halloween Red Velvet Cupcakes
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Paper cupcake liners
- Medium mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop
- Wire cooling rack
- Piping bag with a large round tip, optional
Ingredients
For the Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Nonstick cooking spray as needed
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream at room temperature
- 2 to 3 teaspoons liquid red food coloring or concentrated gel food coloring as needed
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese softened but still slightly cool
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
For the Bloody Decorations
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk plus more by the drop as needed
- Red gel food coloring as needed
- 12 candy knife decorations optional
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and lightly coat the inside of each liner with nonstick cooking spray.Nonstick cooking spray
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set the bowl aside.1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cream the Butter and Sugars: Place the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and lighter in color.¾ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- Add the Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each addition and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.3 large eggs
- Add the Vanilla and Sour Cream: Mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream until smooth and evenly combined.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ cup sour cream
- Color the Batter: Add 2 teaspoons of liquid red food coloring and mix until the color is even. Add up to 1 additional teaspoon if needed. When using concentrated gel coloring, begin with a small amount and add more gradually until the batter reaches a deep red color.2 to 3 teaspoons liquid red food coloring
- Finish the Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears and the batter is combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed, but do not overmix.
- Fill the Pan: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each one about three-quarters full. An ice cream scoop makes this easier and helps keep the cupcakes the same size.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool the Cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire cooling rack and let them cool completely for about 30 to 45 minutes before frosting. Frosting warm cupcakes is an excellent way to create a mess instead of dessert.
- Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: Place the cream cheese and softened butter in a large bowl. Beat until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Finish the Frosting: Add the vanilla extract and salt. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Do not use melted butter or spreadable cream cheese from a tub, since either can make the frosting too runny.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 2 cups powdered sugar
- Chill if Needed: If the frosting feels too soft to hold its shape, refrigerate it for 15 to 20 minutes before using.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe it over the cooled cupcakes. Avoid a narrow star tip because this soft cream cheese frosting may not hold sharp details. The frosting can also be spread on with a knife or small spatula.
- Make the Bloody Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of milk. Add red gel food coloring until the icing reaches a dark, blood-red color.¼ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon milk, Red gel food coloring
- Adjust the Consistency: The icing should be thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to leave visible streaks on the frosting. If it is too thick, add more milk one or two drops at a time. If it becomes too thin, mix in a little more powdered sugar.
- Add the Candy Knives: Dip the blade of each candy knife decoration into the red icing, then gently press one into the frosting on each cupcake.12 candy knife decorations
- Create the Bloody Effect: Drizzle the remaining red icing over the frosting and around the candy knives. Let the icing sit for a few minutes before serving so it can settle without disappearing into the frosting.
Bloody Halloween Red Velvet Cupcakes Without the Kitchen Crime Scene
These cupcakes are supposed to look messy, which is wonderfully convenient. Still, a few small moves can keep the mess on the frosting instead of all over your counters.
Use Gel Coloring When You Can
Liquid food coloring works, but it can take quite a bit to get that deep red color. Gel coloring is stronger and adds less extra liquid, so you get dramatic cupcakes without turning the batter into soup. Start with a small amount because gel coloring goes from “slightly red” to “crime scene” very quickly.
Room Temperature Is Not Just Recipe Nonsense
Let the butter, eggs, and sour cream sit out before mixing so they blend smoothly. Cold ingredients can make the batter look curdled, and while it may still bake, I prefer not to question my life choices before the cupcakes even reach the oven.
Greek Yogurt Works in a Pinch
No sour cream? Use the same amount of plain, full-fat Greek yogurt. It gives the cupcakes a similar tang and keeps them moist, although low-fat yogurt may produce a slightly lighter texture.
Do Not Overmix the Batter
Once the flour goes in, mix only until the dry streaks disappear. Overmixing can make the cupcakes dense and chewy, which is useful if you are making hockey pucks but less helpful here. A few final folds with a spatula are usually safer than another full minute with the mixer.
Use Block Cream Cheese
Choose full-fat cream cheese sold in a block rather than the spreadable kind in a tub. Tub cream cheese contains more moisture and can leave you with frosting that slowly slides off the cupcakes like it is trying to escape.
Chill Soft Frosting Instead of Fighting It
If the cream cheese frosting feels too loose, refrigerate it for 15 to 20 minutes before piping. Do not keep dumping in powdered sugar unless you want frosting that tastes like sweet drywall. A short nap in the refrigerator fixes more problems than panic ever does.
Skip the Piping Bag
A piping bag looks impressive, but a spoon or butter knife works perfectly well for these cupcakes. Since the final design is supposed to look bloody and chaotic, neat frosting would almost be suspicious.
Adjust the Red Drizzle Slowly
Add milk to the red icing a few drops at a time. It should slide from a spoon in thick streaks rather than disappear into the frosting. If it gets too thin, stir in more powdered sugar until it behaves again.
Make the Decorations Easy
Candy knives are fun, but plastic cupcake toppers, edible glass shards, or a simple red drizzle can create the same creepy effect. Just make sure anything placed directly into the frosting is food-safe. Halloween is exciting enough without an actual emergency room visit.
Decorate Close to Serving Time
The cupcakes can be baked and frosted ahead, but add the red drizzle and candy decorations a few hours before serving. Some decorations soften in the refrigerator, and the red icing can slowly bleed into the white frosting if left overnight.
Store Them Without Smashing the Frosting
Keep the finished cupcakes in a tall airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the cake and frosting soften.
Freeze the Cupcakes Before Frosting
Unfrosted cupcakes freeze much better than fully decorated ones. Wrap each cooled cupcake in plastic wrap, place them in an airtight container, and freeze for up to three months for the best texture. Thaw them at room temperature before adding the frosting and decorations.
