Name: Veyeball Cupcakes Recipe
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 19 min
Total time: 54 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour; 3/4 cup (63g) cocoa powder, natural unsweetened or dutch processed; 1 tsp instant coffee granules such as Folger’s, optional; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, 1 stick, room temperature; 1 1/2 cups (297g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 cup (236ml) buttermilk; 1/2 cup (118ml) hot tap water; 1 1/2 cups (339g) unsalted butter, 3 sticks, room temperature; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2-3 cups (227-339g) powdered sugar; Dash milk or heavy cream if frosting becomes too thick; 1/2 cup raspberry or strawberry seedless jam; Red gel food coloring; Water, if needed; Large candy eyeballs; Wilton 4 piping tip; Piping bag

Jump to Recipe· 4.6 from 27 reviews

If you’re on the hunt for a show-stopping Halloween treat or just want to surprise your friends with something fun and delicious, you’re going to fall head over heels for this Veyeball Cupcakes Recipe. These cupcakes aren’t just cute—they’re seriously moist chocolate cupcakes topped with a dreamy buttercream frosting, a candy eyeball, and lined with ‘bloody’ jelly veins that make each bite a perfect spooky delight. Stick with me and I’ll walk you through every step, sharing tips I’ve picked up to make sure your cupcakes come out looking and tasting amazing.

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Why This Recipe Works

Perfectly Moist Chocolate Base: The combination of buttermilk, cocoa powder, and a touch of coffee granules creates a rich, moist cupcake that sets the stage for deliciousness.
Rich, Fluffy Buttercream Frosting: Using three sticks of butter gives the frosting an ultra-creamy texture that pipes beautifully and balances the chocolate cupcake perfectly.
Spooky Decoration with a Fun Twist: The jam dyed red and piped as ‘blood vessels’ offers a creative, messy-good look that’s surprisingly easy to nail even if you’re new to decorating.
Simple Ingredients with Big Impact: All common pantry ingredients come together in clever ways that make these cupcakes stand out without requiring specialty products.

The image shows a close-up of six cupcakes on a black plate, each decorated to look like bloodshot eyes. Each cupcake has a dark base with a thick layer of smooth white frosting on top. Red icing is streaked across the frosting in thin, irregular lines resembling blood vessels. On top of each cupcake, there is a round, flat white candy designed like an eyeball with a black dot in the center. A woman's hand is placing one of these eyeball candies onto a cupcake. The background surface is a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

Let’s talk ingredients—this Veyeball Cupcakes Recipe relies on a classic chocolate cupcake base with impeccably balanced flavors and textures. Quality cocoa powder and fresh buttermilk really bring out that deep chocolatey richness while the frosting ingredients create a luscious topping that holds up beautifully. I always recommend grabbing real unsalted butter and fresh eggs for best results.

All-purpose flour: Provides structure and softness; sift it for a lighter crumb if you can.
Cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-processed): Adds rich chocolate flavor; Dutch-processed is smoother but natural adds a tangy edge.
Instant coffee granules (optional): Intensifies the chocolate flavor without making your cupcakes taste like coffee.
Baking soda and baking powder: Work together to give a balanced rise and an airy texture.
Salt: Enhances the sweetness and deepens the chocolate flavor.
Unsalted butter: Using room temperature ensures proper creaming with sugar, giving a tender crumb and silky frosting.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens and tenderizes the cupcake.
Large eggs: Bind everything and add moisture; freshness matters here.
Buttermilk: Adds moisture and acidity that helps tenderize gluten, making cupcakes soft.
Hot tap water: Helps bloom the cocoa powder for intense flavor and smooth batter.
Vanilla extract: Boosts overall flavor complexity, especially in frosting.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting for perfect piping consistency.
Milk or heavy cream: Adjusts frosting texture to homemade perfection without being too stiff.
Raspberry or strawberry seedless jam: Use a smooth, seedless jam so it pipes easily and looks like fake blood.
Red gel food coloring: For achieving that vibrant bloody color without watering down the jelly.
Large candy eyeballs: The star decoration—pick good-quality ones that hold shape and look realistic.
Wilton 4 piping tip and piping bag: Essential for piping fine ‘blood vessels’ around the eyeballs for that spooky effect.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Tweak to Your Taste

I love baking these cupcakes just as they are, but you can absolutely get creative here! I sometimes add a bit of orange or purple gel color to the buttercream for Halloween theme colors or swap the jam for raspberry preserves if I want a tarter red ‘blood’ effect. Don’t be afraid to make this recipe your own.

Chocolate Lovers Variation: Double the cocoa powder for an ultra-deep chocolate flavor, just remember to keep the wet and dry balance in check.
Dairy-Free Modification: Substitute plant-based butter and use coconut cream for the frosting—just note it changes the flavor a bit but still delicious.
Spicy Kick: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cayenne powder to the cupcake batter for a warm, surprising twist I like every now and then.
Less Sweet Option: Cut down the sugar in frosting slightly and balance with a touch more vanilla to keep it flavorful without too much sweetness.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Veyeball Cupcakes Recipe

Step 1: Mixing the Dry Ingredients

First up, preheat your oven to 350ºF and line your muffin pan with cupcake liners. Then grab a medium bowl and whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee granules (yes, it’s optional but trust me, it boosts flavor), baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This step ensures even distribution and no nasty clumps, which can totally mess up texture. Set it aside while we work on the wet stuff.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

In a big mixing bowl, beat your room-temperature butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer. I like to do this for about 2 minutes until it looks pale and fluffy—this traps air that helps the cupcakes rise beautifully. Then, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to keep everything smooth and well combined.

Step 3: Alternate Adding Liquids and Dry

To get that perfect soft crumb, you’ll add half of the buttermilk first, beating for about 20 seconds, followed by half of the dry ingredients. Next, pour in the rest of the buttermilk along with the hot water—this hot water helps “bloom” the cocoa powder and deepen the chocolate flavor—and continue mixing just until everything is combined. Then, add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed to prevent overmixing, which can make cupcakes tough.

Step 4: Bake the Cupcakes

Fill each cupcake liner about halfway full to allow room for rising without overflowing. Bake for 17-19 minutes, and don’t just watch the clock—poke a toothpick in the center; if it comes out with a few moist crumbs, they’re perfect. Pull them out and let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting—patience here pays off big time.

Step 5: Make the Buttercream Frosting

While your cupcakes cool, whip up that luscious frosting. Beat the butter and vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed, stopping to scrape the bowl down to keep things smooth. If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream until it reaches your perfect piping softness. For that extra airiness, whip in 1/4 cup heavy cream at the end and beat for 3-4 minutes—trust me, it makes your frosting feel fancy!

Step 6: Prepare the Bloody Jelly

In a small bowl, mix the seedless raspberry or strawberry jam with red gel food coloring until you get a deep, blood-like color. If it’s too thick to pipe, add a teaspoon of water to loosen it slightly—but don’t make it runny or it won’t hold shape. Load this into a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 4 tip or smaller.

Step 7: Assemble Your Veyeball Cupcakes

Generously frost each cupcake with your buttercream, then gently press one large candy eyeball right in the center. With your piping bag, pipe little ‘blood vessels’ radiating out from the eyeball, swirling and snaking as if those eyes are eerily alive. Don’t stress about perfection—the more uneven and messy, the spookier and more fun! Repeat for all cupcakes and admire your creepy, delicious creation.

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Pro Tips for Making Veyeball Cupcakes Recipe

Room Temperature Ingredients: Bringing butter, eggs, and buttermilk to room temp helps everything blend seamlessly and bakers will notice the difference in texture.
Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined to avoid tough cupcakes.
Use Seedless Jam: This ensures a smooth, pipeable ‘blood’ that lines look like delicate veins instead of chunky blobs.
Pipe Strategically: If piping ‘blood vessels’ stresses you out, practice on parchment paper first or keep it loose and messy—it all adds character!

How to Serve Veyeball Cupcakes Recipe

A black tray holds eight cupcakes topped with a smooth white frosting layer, each decorated with a large round white candy eye with a black center placed in the middle. Red syrup is drizzled on the frosting in eight thin irregular strips radiating from each candy eye, creating a bloodshot eye effect. To the right of the tray, a silver knife rests on a white marbled surface with extra candy eyes and red syrup smears around it. The texture of the frosting is soft and slightly fluffy, while the syrup shines bright and wet, contrasting with the matte candy eyes. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

For garnish, I stick to the classic candy eyeballs because they’re the perfect focal point, but you could add edible glitter dust around the frosting for a creepy sparkle or sprinkle some red sanding sugar to intensify the bloody look. I’ve even tossed in a few black licorice pieces piped as extra ‘veins’ for an eerie effect that guests love.

Side Dishes

Pair these cupcakes with a simple vanilla or chai latte to balance the chocolate richness, or serve alongside a refreshing berry compote to complement the jam’s fruity notes. If it’s a party, some salty popcorn or spiced nuts make a great crunchy contrast.

Creative Ways to Present

I like to serve these on a black slate platter with red LED tealights underneath for a scary glow effect. Another fun idea is placing them inside little spider web cupcake holders or even in small clear cups layered with ‘eyeball’ jello beneath them for an over-the-top Halloween display that’s sure to get ooohs and aaahs.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I keep my leftover Veyeball Cupcakes covered in an airtight container in the fridge. Because of the buttercream and jam, refrigeration is key to maintain freshness and keep the ‘blood’ from becoming sticky or runny. Bring them back to room temperature before serving for best flavor.

Freezing

These cupcakes freeze wonderfully before decorating. Just bake and cool them completely, then wrap cupcakes individually in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting and decorating so the frosting isn’t compromised.

Reheating

When reheating, skip the microwave to protect the frosting. Instead, leave cupcakes at room temperature a bit to release any chill, or place them in a warm (not hot) oven for 5 minutes wrapped lightly in foil. This softens the cake without compromising decorations.

FAQs

Can I make the cupcakes gluten-free?

Absolutely! Swap the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free flour blend designed for baking, and consider adding a bit of xanthan gum if your blend doesn’t include it. The cupcakes may be slightly denser, but still delicious and perfect for Veyeball Cupcakes.
How do I get the red jelly to pipe cleanly?

Make sure to use seedless jam and thin it slightly with a teaspoon of water if needed. Using a piping tip that’s small like the Wilton 4 tip helps control the flow. Also, chill the jam mixture briefly if it becomes too runny before piping to help it set faster on the cupcakes.
Can I prepare these cupcakes in advance?

Yes! You can bake and freeze the unfrosted cupcakes ahead of time. Decorate them on the day you plan to serve to keep the candy eyeballs fresh and the jam looking vibrant.
What if I can’t find candy eyeballs?

No worries! You can make your own using white fondant or marshmallow melts shaped into circles, then paint or pipe a colored iris and pupil with edible food markers or gel colors. It’s a fun little project if you have extra time.
Can I use cream cheese frosting instead of buttercream?

You can, but cream cheese frosting is softer and may not hold the piping shapes as well, especially the ‘blood vessels.’ If you want to try it, add extra powdered sugar and chill the frosting well before decorating.

Final Thoughts

This Veyeball Cupcakes Recipe has quickly become my go-to for Halloween parties and whenever friends want a fun, spooky treat. The best part is how approachable this recipe is—no stress, just pure chocolate goodness with creative flair. Seriously, once you try it, you’ll be hooked on these creepy, moist, and utterly delicious cupcakes just like I am. So don your apron, grab that piping bag, and let’s make some eyes pop—your guests will be talking about these cupcakes long after the last bite!