Emoji Cupcakes
1 hr
Kids go absolutely wild for these — vanilla cupcakes topped with a swirl of chocolate buttercream that looks just like the poop emoji. Perfect for birthday parties or Halloween.
bakingcakemuffins
Perfect for Halloween or a kids' birthday — vanilla cupcakes topped with green chocolate frosting and candy eyes. They look wild and taste even better.
Instructions
- 1
Beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla seeds together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one.
- 2
Gently fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, then pour in the cream and mix until the batter comes together smoothly.
- 3
Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin — if you don't have a tin, use double liners so they hold their shape. Divide the batter evenly between the liners and bake at 180 °C in the middle of the oven for 15–20 minutes. Let them cool completely.
- 4
Break the white chocolate into pieces and melt it in a bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water — make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water or it'll get too hot. Stir occasionally and take it off the heat as soon as it's melted. You can also melt it in the microwave.
- 5
Beat the room-temperature butter and icing sugar together in a stand mixer with the K-beater for about 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Pour in the cooled melted chocolate and mix until fully combined. Add the green food colouring and mix through. If the chocolate is still warm when you add it, the frosting will split — so make sure it's properly cooled.
- 6
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a grass tip (no. 233) and pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes. Finish with candy eyes. If you can't find candy eyes, cut small eyes out of white and black fondant instead.
Per average serving
529
Calories
kcal
6.5
Protein
g
59.2
Carbs
g
29
Fat
g
0.7g
Fiber
39.9g
Sugar
127mg
Sodium
Family Portions
2portions
Adults
2
Children
No children added
Ingredients
Per average serving
529
Calories
kcal
6.5
Protein
g
59.2
Carbs
g
29
Fat
g
0.7g
Fiber
39.9g
Sugar
127mg
Sodium
Tips from the kitchen
- The cooled chocolate part is where this frosting lives or dies. If the white chocolate is even a little warm when it hits the butter, the whole thing splits into a greasy mess. Let it sit until it's barely above room temperature before you pour it in.
- Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and beat them in with the butter and sugar at the start. That's where the flavour goes, so don't skip the scraping.
- Check the cupcakes at 15 minutes with a toothpick. They go from done to dry fast, so pull them as soon as it comes out clean.
- The grass tip (no. 233) gives you that shaggy monster fur look, but you need a firm frosting for it to hold. If yours feels soft, chill it 10 minutes before piping.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting. Any warmth and the butter frosting slides right off.
Ways to vary it
- Swap the green food colouring for purple or orange if you want a different monster crew. The taste stays the same.
- You can press chocolate buttons or M&Ms into the frosting alongside the candy eyes for spikes or teeth.
- For a citrus note, add a bit of lemon zest to the cupcake batter instead of leaning on the vanilla alone.
Storage & leftovers
Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, since the frosting is butter based. The unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for a couple of months, just thaw them on the counter before piping. Don't reheat the frosted ones or the topping will melt and slide off.
What to serve with it
These are made for a party table next to a jug of cold milk or some fizzy lemonade. A bowl of mixed Halloween candy alongside doesn't hurt either.
UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 27 April 2026 · Updated 11 July 2026
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