Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

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Still looking for that last minute Halloween dessert? These Vanilla Bean Cupcakes are made from scratch with the perfect decoration: MUMMY faces. Take a simple dessert and make it spooky with this easy recipe!

Use this easy cupcake base in delicious Cranberry Cupcakes too for Christmas. Or go the other directions and make these rich and decadent Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes for the chocolate lover in your life!

Wanilla cupcakes with a vanilla bean frosting in shape of mummies for Halloween.

Halloween Cupcakes

Everyone loves an adorable cupcake and everyone loves Halloween.

Combine the two and you get these fun, easy and downright delicious Vanilla Bean Cupcakes decorated to look like mummies!

Candy Eyeballs make every treat more fun! You swirl icing on top of each little cupcake, then dot them with eye balls and wind up with a mummy-inspired Halloween cupcake!

Or, just skip the decorations and make them any time you need a simple but extraordinary vanilla cupcake recipe.

You may have seen these mummies on my Snickerdoodle Blondies and my Monster Sugar Cookies. It’s such an easy technique!

PRO TIP: Get festive and make a batch for 4th of July. Add blue frosting and sprinkles for a fun Red White and Blue Cupcake Recipe.

Ingredient Notes

  • Egg whites – This is how you achieve a crumb that’s light as air while still holding its shape in the cupcake liner.
  • Cake flour – More refined and with less gluten (protein) than all purpose flour, cake flour makes these cupcakes so delicate and airy!
  • Vanilla bean paste- Rodelle vanilla bean paste imbibes the cupcakes with the most aromatic and rich vanilla flavor! I use it in both the batter and the frosting. While you can do various substitutes to replicate the flavor, it’s tough to mimic the texture of vanilla bean paste in the frosting.
  • Sugar – Use Vanilla Sugar for even more great taste!
  • Milk – Buttermilk is perfect, or whole milk. Use my buttermilk substitute if needed.
  • Candy eye balls – The easiest way to add a zany touch to any cupcake or cookie. Find these online or at a big craft store (think Michael’s or Joanne Fabrics). I found mine at Target!
Wire rack with vanilla cupcakes and mummy frosting with candy eyes.

Step by Step Instructions

STEP 1. Prepare the cupcakes

Whisk together the vanilla bean paste, egg whites and buttermilk in a bowl and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer, then add the dry ingredients. Beat in the egg mixture and a little more milk until everything is combined.

STEP 2. Bake

Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and fill each liner about 2/3 of the way full with the cupcake batter. Bake for 20-22 minutes, then let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

STEP 3. Make the frosting

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the vanilla frosting by beating butter with powdered sugar, milk and vanilla bean paste until light and fluffy.

Vanilla bean cupcake unwrapped so you can see the flecks of vanilla bean.

STEP 4. Mummy stripes

To make the mummy stripes, I filled my pastry bag with the frosting then used wilton tip 48 to pipe it onto the top of the cupcakes. I alternated my stripes with the smooth side and the basket weave side to give the mummy stripes texture. Feel free to get creative here!

Once all the cupcakes are “striped”, add the candy eyeballs to the top of each cupcake to complete your “mummies.”

I just love how the simple addition of stripes and candy eyes makes a regular vanilla cupcake looks festive for Halloween!

Tips and Tricks

  • Storing: Keep your cooled and frosted cupcakes covered at room temperature. They taste best if eaten within 2 – 3 days.
  • Be sure to beat the batter for 2 or 3 minutes in your stand mixer before baking. This gets everything incorporated and whips a bit of air into the cupcakes!
  • If you can’t find tiny candy eyeballs, you can use mini chocolate chips to make “eyes.”
Black wire rack with vanilla bean frosted cupcakes for halloween.

Recipe FAQs

Can these be made as regular cupcakes?

Of course! Delicious Vanilla Bean Cupcakes are ALWAYS in season. Just use your frosting bag to pipe the frosting on cupcakes as desired and omit the candy eye balls.

Can I substitute vanilla extract?

You could swap the vanilla bean paste for a teaspoon of vanilla extract OR a crushed vanilla bean pod in the cupcake batter and then reduce the amount of milk added by a teaspoon. Using vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean paste in the frosting will affect the consistency (as well as the flavor) so I don’t recommend it.

Can this be made with all purpose flour?

Again, you COULD use regular flour here, but the cake flour is a key ingredient in making these cupcakes so light and airy. It’s worth going out and picking up a bag of cake flour to make these!

Vanilla cupcakes frosted to look like mummies for Halloween.

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Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

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By: Aimee
These Vanilla Bean Cupcakes are made from scratch with the perfect decoration: MUMMY faces. Take a simple dessert and make it spooky with this easy recipe!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients 

For the Cupcakes:

  • 5 large egg whites room temperature
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 ½ cups cake flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the frosting:

  • 1 ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Bean Paste
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 48 candy eyes
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Instructions 

  • For the cake, whisk together the egg whites, vanilla bean paste and 1/4 cup milk in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar for 2 minutes. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add in egg mixture, beating until fully incorporated. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup milk. Turn mixer on high and beat for 2 minutes.
  • Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake in a 350 degree oven for 17-18 minutes, until set (will begin to lightly brown on edges). Remove and cool completely before frosting.
  • For the frosting, beat butter for 5 minutes until pale in color. Add sugar, vanilla bean paste and milk. Beat an additional 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Pipe onto cupcakes by filling pastry bag and using tip 48, pipe “stripes” onto top of cupcakes. Add candy eyes. ENJOY!

Notes

  • Storing: Keep your cooled and frosted cupcakes covered at room temperature. They taste best if eaten within 2 – 3 days.
  • Be sure to beat the batter for 2 or 3 minutes in your stand mixer before baking. This gets everything incorporated and whips a bit of air into the cupcakes!
  • If you can’t find tiny candy eyeballs, you can use mini chocolate chips to make "eyes."

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake, Calories: 391kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 135mg, Sugar: 40g
Course: Cupcake
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes are ANYTHING but boring when you dress them up like spooky mummies! Make your Halloween even more delicious this year when you whip up a batch of these tasty treats.

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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on October 13, 2020

Comments & Reviews

  1. I simply want to mention I am just newbie to blogging and site-building and really loved your web page. Almost certainly I’m planning to bookmark your blog . You surely come with incredible posts. Thanks for sharing your web page.

  2. Loving your ‘Vanilla Bean Cupcakes’, thanks for posting…
    I too much prefer cakes that are made from ‘scratch’ over any packet-mix, more economical, they’re much tastier, I know exactly what goes into them!
    I’ve made these cupcakes several times now & they always turn out perfect….
    I have even adapted them by adding toasted chopped Pecans to the mix as I adore them, imagine my sheer delight when I saw your wonderful, special ‘Pecan Pie Cake’, it’s a brilliant recipe, superb for any occasion.
    This will take pride of place on my Holiday Table, at Christmas, birthdays & on any other occasion that I may have the opportunity to make it, or just because I fancy it-which is every time I think of cakes…Everyone that’s tasted it says the same thing, it’s gorgeous can I have the recipe please or will you make me one!
    A true winner each & every time, I can’t thank-you enough, it’s got it all. Moist flavorful, tender sponge cake, filled with caramel pecans, frosted & decorated to perfection.
    You ought to win an award for the best, finest, delectable cake…Amazing!!!
    Many, many thanks for posting, much appreciated,
    Odelle Smith. (U.K)

  3. Clowns are the worst! I’m with you, Halloween isn’t my favorite holiday. I hate spending extra money on costumes. However, I will eat me some Halloween goodies. These are too cute.

  4. these mummy cupcakes are adoooorable!! And I’ll take from-scratch vanilla bean cupcakes over packages processed ones any day!

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