Vampire Bite Cupcakes

October 31: Halloween

Sink your fangs into a fruit-filled dessert for Halloween. Vampire Bite Cupcakes are easy to make and have an impressive visual impact on a party platter. It looks as if Count Dracula got the first bite and sampled the sweet treats himself! They are just basic white cupcakes with a blood clot-like cherry filling and iced with vanilla frosting from which red gel oozes out. For a bloody-good Halloween dessert, make Vampire Bite Cupcakes.

Recipe

(Based on Google Images)

For the cherry-filled cupcakes

• 1 box white cake mix (we used Duncan  Hines brand Classic White flavor)
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup oil
• ½ cup water
• ½ can cherry pie filling, slightly drained

Directions

Bake the cake mix according to the directions on the box, using egg whites, oil and water.  Use paper cupcake liners (we used red foil) to make the cupcakes.

Remove from the oven and cool completely. Core the center of the cupcake, reserving the top. Or use a sharp knife to cut off a little bit of the center of the cupcake, reserving the top. Insert some of the cherry pie filling into the cupcake center. Replace with the reserved cupcake piece that was cored/cut out.

For the vanilla frosting and bloody decoration

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3-6 cups powdered sugar
• 2+ tablespoons milk or water
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring (we used Wilton brand)
• red tube gel icing

Directions

In a mixer or mixing bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar while still mixing. Stir in the milk/water and clear vanilla and mix until a spreadable consistency is achieved.

Frost the top of the cupcake, being careful not to remove the covered filling center (we used tip 1M in a swirling motion to decorate our cupcakes but it can be smoothly covered with a spatula). Use a toothpick or skewer to pierce two holes in the cupcake. Squirt red gel icing from the tube to look like dripping blood. Chill the cupcakes in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Notes 

• Complement this Dracula-themed dessert  with Vampire Bite Cookies.
• Cupcakes may be filled with strawberry or raspberry jam instead of cherry pie filling.