These adorable skeleton cupcakes are so easy to decorate with just two ingredients–yogurt-covered pretzels and a can of Betty Crocker™ white icing. From our top-selling Betty Crocker Big Book of Cupcakes, this clever recipe is as fun to make as they are to eat!
Skeleton Cupcakes
- Prep Time 60 min
- Total 2 hr 0 min
- Servings 24
- Ingredients 16
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup hot water
- 2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Skeletons
- 24 yogurt-covered or white chocolate-covered pretzel twists
- Betty Crocker™ white decorating icing (from 6.4-oz can)

Make With
Gold Medal Flour
Instructions
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Step1Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
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Step2In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside. In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside.
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Step3In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, and cocoa mixture, about 1/2 at a time, beating just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each with about 2/3 full.
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Step4Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
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Step5In large bowl, mix butter and chocolate. Stir in powdered sugar. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla and 3 tablespoons of the milk. Beat in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Frost cupcakes.
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Step6Place 1 pretzel in center of each cupcake for chest of skeleton. Use decorating icing to draw and fill in head, arms, legs and feet of skeleton. To create eye sockets and mouth openings, insert toothpick into white icing in head; move toothpick in tiny circular motions to move icing away so chocolate frosting shows through.
Nutrition
280
Calories
14g
Total Fat
2g
Protein
38g
Total Carbohydrate
27g
Sugars
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories
- 280
- Calories from Fat
- 120
- Total Fat
- 14g
- 21%
- Saturated Fat
- 8g
- 41%
- Trans Fat
- 0g
- Cholesterol
- 60mg
- 19%
- Sodium
- 220mg
- 9%
- Potassium
- 50mg
- 1%
- Total Carbohydrate
- 38g
- 13%
- Dietary Fiber
- 0g
- 0%
- Sugars
- 27g
- Protein
- 2g
% Daily Value*:
- Vitamin A
- 8%
- 8%
- Vitamin C
- 0%
- 0%
- Calcium
- 4%
- 4%
- Iron
- 4%
- 4%
Exchanges:
1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 2 1/2 Fat;Carbohydrate Choice
2 1/2Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
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