Red Velvet Vampire Cupcakes are the ultimate Halloween treat that’s equal parts eerie and delicious. Bite into one of these rich, velvety cupcakes and you’ll be met with a raspberry “blood” center that oozes just enough spook to delight your guests. These cupcakes are made from scratch, filled with jam, topped with smooth cream cheese frosting, and finished with “vampire bite” marks for an unforgettable dessert experience.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fun Halloween presentation with fang marks and jam “blood”
- Classic red velvet flavor with a rich cocoa twist
- Cream cheese frosting that’s light, tangy, and smooth
- Perfect party treat — spooky on the outside, sweet on the inside!
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1¾ cups cake flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp red food coloring
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
For the Filling
- 3 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 cup raspberry jam
- 1 drop red food coloring
- 1 tbsp water
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (room temp)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Make the cupcake batter:
- In one bowl, sift together cake flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- In another, whisk buttermilk, oil, sour cream, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla, and egg.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients just until smooth.
- Bake:
Divide batter evenly among liners. Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack. - Prepare the chocolate coating:
Microwave the chopped chocolate with coconut oil in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. - Hollow and coat the cupcakes:
Use a sharp knife to cut out a small core from the center of each cupcake (about ¾ deep). Brush the inside with melted chocolate. Freeze for 15 minutes. - Make the “blood” filling:
Mix raspberry jam, food coloring, and water until smooth. Fill each cupcake center with about 1 tbsp of jam. - Make the cream cheese frosting:
Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add butter and beat again. Mix in sugar and vanilla until light and smooth. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes to cover the jam. - Create vampire bites:
Use the tip of a straw to poke two holes in the frosting of each cupcake. Drizzle extra jam into the holes to mimic bite marks.
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Cooling/Assembly Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Servings: 12 cupcakes
Nutrition Facts (Estimated per cupcake)
- Calories: ~330
- Fat: 16g
- Sugar: 28g
- Carbs: 36g
- Protein: 3g
Tips & Variations
- Skip the filling? Use a raspberry-flavored frosting instead for a quicker version.
- Don’t like raspberry? Swap jam for cherry or strawberry preserves.
- Want a cleaner bite mark? Chill the cupcakes briefly before poking for more defined fang holes.
- Storage: Keep cupcakes in the fridge for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Red Velvet Vampire Cupcakes
Equipment
- Muffin tin
- – Piping bag
- – Plastic straw
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- #### For the Cupcakes
- – 1¾ cups cake flour
- – 1 cup granulated sugar
- – ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- – ¾ tsp baking soda
- – ½ tsp salt
- – ½ cup buttermilk
- – ½ cup vegetable oil
- – ½ cup sour cream
- – 1 tbsp red food coloring
- – 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- – 1 tsp vanilla extract
- – 1 egg
- #### For the Filling
- – 3 oz semisweet chocolate
- – 1 tsp coconut oil
- – 1 cup raspberry jam
- – 1 drop red food coloring
- – 1 tbsp water
- #### For the Frosting
- – 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- – 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- – 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- – ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Whisk dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix wet ingredients in another. Combine and mix until smooth.
- Divide batter into liners. Bake 16–18 minutes. Cool completely.
- Melt chocolate and coconut oil until smooth.
- Core cupcakes and brush holes with chocolate. Freeze 15 min.
- Mix jam, red food coloring, and water. Fill cupcake holes with jam.
- Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add butter, sugar, vanilla. Pipe onto cupcakes.
- Use a straw to poke two “vampire bite” holes. Fill with extra jam.
Notes
– Let come to room temp before serving.
– Optional: add chocolate chips to batter for more richness.
FAQs
Can I use store-bought red velvet mix?
Yes, but you’ll miss out on the rich, real flavor of homemade batter.
Do I need special tools for this?
A sharp knife, straw (for the bite marks), and piping bag help, but can be swapped with simple kitchen tools.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Absolutely! Bake and fill the cupcakes 1 day ahead, then frost the day you serve for the best texture.
Conclusion
These Red Velvet Vampire Cupcakes are equal parts creepy and craveable. With a rich cocoa cake, a “bloody” raspberry center, and luscious cream cheese frosting, they’re the perfect sweet shock for any Halloween gathering. Whether you’re making them for kids or adults, they’re guaranteed to impress.