Brain cupcakes
Prepare to impress and frighten your guests with our brain cupcakes, ideal for any Halloween or spooky gathering! These cupcakes are light and fluffy with a zesty lemon flavour, topped with smooth cream cheese frosting. The excitement comes from the marzipan, moulded into chilling brain designs and drizzled with strawberry jam for a creepy effect.
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Ingredients
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200 g
Butter
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270 g
Granulated sugar
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3
Eggs
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50 ml
Milk
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1
Lemon, finely grated zest
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240 g
Wheat flour
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1½ tsp
Baking powder
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Icing
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50 g
Butter, room temperature
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150 g
Cream cheese
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60 g
Icing sugar
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Decoration
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400 g
White marzipan
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Strawberry jam
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Instructions
Icing
Decoration
Recipe tips
It’s often the small details that make the biggest impact in the kitchen, so we’re sharing the tips we rely on when cooking and creating recipes
It is best to use room temperature ingredients for your brain cupcakes if you want a smooth and airy batter. Room temperature butter mixes more easily with sugar, creating a fluffy texture by trapping air. The eggs will also blend evenly into the mix without making the butter seize, which prevents a dense batter. And finally, warm milk keeps the batter consistent without shocks. Just take it out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before making the cupcakes, or warm it briefly on the stove.
Let your cupcakes cool completely before decorating to make sure the icing and marzipan look perfect. Warm cupcakes can make butter-based icing and cream cheese mixture melt, giving them a runny consistency. Also, marzipan and strawberry jam keep their shape better on a cool surface, making your brain cupcakes look more appealing.
To make realistic brains on your cupcakes, divide the marzipan into 24 equal parts. Roll each part into a thin sausage, about the width of a pencil, to create uniform folds. Arrange two strands side by side on each cupcake, shaping them to look like brain lobes. You can also use a toothpick to deepen the central groove. Twist the strands to form gyri-like patterns, avoiding straight lines. Press gently to fix the marzipan onto the cream cheese icing.
Use a small piping bag or a zip-top bag to create a dramatic bloody brain effect on your brain cupcakes. Cut a corner off the bag and carefully pipe the jam over and between the marzipan brain shapes, letting it drip slightly for a realistic look. If needed, gently warm the jam to make it easier to pipe, but allow it to cool before using it. Add the jam right before serving to keep the marzipan’s texture intact.
FAQ: Questions about brain cupcakes
Want to make perfect brain cupcakes for your next spooky party? We have put together an overview of some of the most asked questions about these cupcakes and provided you with the answers below.
How to store brain cupcakes?
Store the brain cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge to keep them fresh, as the icing can spoil if left at room temperature for too long. Before serving, let the cupcakes warm up to room temperature for about 30 minutes. If your kitchen is cool, they can be left out for a short time, but do not leave them out for more than 3 to 4 hours.
Can I make brain cupcakes in advance?
Yes, you can make brain cupcakes in advance. Bake the cupcakes up to 2 days early and store them at room temperature in an airtight container or refrigerate them for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature before decorating. You can also make the cream cheese icing in advance; just keep it refrigerated and give it a stir before using it. Assemble the cupcakes with icing, marzipan, and jam either on the day of serving or the day before. Store assembled cupcakes in the fridge because of the cream cheese icing. Let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving to let the texture and flavour hit their peak again.
How long do the brain cupcakes last?
The brain cupcakes can last for 1-2 days in the fridge once decorated. Store them in an airtight container or cover them with cling film, but be careful not to ruin the decoration on top. Before serving, let them warm to room temperature to bring back their best flavour and texture. Avoid freezing fully decorated cupcakes as the marzipan can get sticky when thawed.
Nutritional values
Nutritional value, per
6471 Kcal
| Fibre | - | 30 gram fibers |
| Protein | 5.7 | 90.9 gram |
| Fat | 48.4 | 353.9 gram |
| Carbohydrates | 45.9 | 731.4 gram |
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Enjoy our eerie and exciting brain cupcakes
If you are on the hunt for an eerie and spectacular Halloween bake sure to tie you up in knots, these brain cupcakes are for you. They are made with just a few basic ingredients and come together so effortlessly. While the cupcakes bake for just 15–20 minutes, you will have plenty of time to rig your marzipan brains and jam blood.
We guarantee you, this recipe will deliver maximum Halloween thrills with minimal fuss. Bring them to your next gathering, and watch them vanish before your very eyes, if your guests dare to take a bite!
We have more Halloween-themed recipes in store for you. Try a frightful graveyard cake, a spooky ghost cake, witch finger cookies, or a Halloween cheesecake.
Soft and fluffy cupcakes with hints of fresh lemon
One of the selling points of our brain cupcakes is their wonderfully soft and fluffy texture. And it is all thanks to the combination of butter and eggs that makes the batter light and airy, ultimately resulting in a tender crumb. Hidden beneath the sweetness is just enough lemon zest to spark your taste buds awake with a subtle tangy note.
If you are feeling bold, you can always ramp up the citrus taste by adding more zest or even a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Either way, the combination of sweetness with a zippy freshness will be enough to delight everyone who wants a bite.
Marzipan brain decor with strawberry-flavoured jam
Once your cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, it is time to bring on the blood and gore. And do not worry, shaping the brain does not require any artistic skills. The nutty marzipan is rolled into long, thin sausages, then easily snaked into twisted brain-like folds atop each cream cheese-frosted cupcake. The sweet-tart strawberry jam seeps into the folds, mimicking blood and adding an extra dose of realism.
A festive snack for your next Halloween party
No Halloween party is complete without a little edible gore, and these brain cupcakes serve exactly that. Their playful creepiness is an instant conversation starter, whether perched on a dessert table or passed around as a sweet party snack. Kids will squeal, adults will laugh, and everyone will marvel at your baking bravado. Best of all, they are easy to make in bulk, so you can spend less time whisking and more time revelling in the spooky fun.
Put your own spin on the scare
These brain cupcakes offer endless possibilities for customisation. If you are adventurous, try adding green or purple food colouring to the marzipan before shaping to create otherworldly or zombie brains. For a more refined or specific theme, consider using fondant instead of marzipan, or a combination of both. Fondant can be moulded into more intricate shapes and allows for very detailed designs.
To create a bleeding effect for your brain cupcakes, use strawberry jam. After baking and cooling, cut out a small section from the centre of each cupcake and fill it with smooth strawberry jam or any other jam you prefer. Replace the piece of cake to create a surprise ooze when you bite into it.
Consider topping with edible glitter, colourful sprinkles, or even little plastic spiders for an extra dose of Halloween flair. With these easy tweaks, you can tailor both flavour and fright level to suit your style and guarantee the brain cupcakes are uniquely yours.
