Vampire Bite Halloween Cupcakes (Print-Friendly Version)

Tempting treats with blood-red centers and haunting decorations for a scary and tasty Halloween snack.

# Ingredients You’ll Need:

→ Cupcake Base

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/2 cup buttermilk
06 - 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
07 - 1 tablespoon gel-based red food coloring
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Red Velvet Filling

12 - 1/2 cup red velvet cake crumbs (taken from hollowed cupcake centers)
13 - 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
14 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
15 - 1 to 2 tablespoons gel-based red food coloring

→ Buttercream Frosting

16 - 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
17 - 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
18 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
19 - a few drops ivory or peach food coloring
20 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

21 - candy fangs or tiny dots of red gelatin
22 - red syrup or edible red gel
23 - red drinking straws

# How to Make It:

01 - Grab a big bowl and mix your flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda together. Give it a good whisk until everything's fully combined.
02 - Take your room temperature butter and sugar and beat them together with your electric mixer on medium until they're fluffy and pale.
03 - Drop in your eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mix, making sure each one is fully mixed in before adding the next. Then stir in your vanilla and red food coloring.
04 - In a small bowl, mix your buttermilk with the white vinegar. Add this liquid mix bit by bit, switching back and forth with your dry ingredients until you've got a smooth batter.
05 - Spoon your batter into paper-lined cupcake tins, filling each about two-thirds full. Pop them in your oven at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. They're done when a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
06 - Mix your saved cupcake crumbs with the sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, and red food coloring. Stir until you've got a smooth, thick mixture that holds together.
07 - After your cupcakes have cooled, cut out a small hole in the middle of each one using a knife or cupcake corer. Fill each hole with your red velvet mixture right up to the top.
08 - Whip your softened butter until it's really creamy. Slowly add in your sifted powdered sugar, then splash in some milk or cream until it's just right. Mix in the vanilla and a tiny bit of ivory or peach coloring until you get a nice pale shade.
09 - Spread or pipe your buttercream over each cupcake. Try to get the tops nice and smooth to look like skin.
10 - Stick two candy fangs or red gelatin spots on each cupcake to make bite marks. Drip some red syrup or gel from these marks down the sides. If you want, stick a piece of red straw in for extra effect and add more drips around your cupcakes.
11 - Put your finished cupcakes on a black or red plate. Add extra red syrup for a bloody look and maybe throw in some spooky props like toy bats or Halloween candles.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - You'll get the spookiest bite effect if you chill your frosted cupcakes for a bit before adding the final touches.
02 - Be gentle when you're hollowing out the centers so you don't break through the sides of your cupcakes.
03 - Always go for the thick gel food coloring to get that deep, blood-red color that really pops.

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