These white ghost cupcakes are just as delicious as they are spooky and adorable! They're made with any easy fluffy, white cake recipe and a just-sweet-enough 2-ingredient white American buttercream. With a simple ghost shape and candy pumpkins tucked into their arms, they're sure to impress everyone at the Halloween party!
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Why you'll love these white ghost cupcakes
- Easy white cupcakes:Â This simple cupcake batter recipe makes soft, fluffy white cupcakes without pulling out your stand mixer.
- 2-ingredient buttercream:Â Just butter and powdered sugar create a creamy, just-sweet-enough frosting that doubles as your ghost decorations.
- Adorable Halloween dessert:Â Simple buttercream ghosts holding candy pumpkins make these cupcakes a party-worthy treat without complicated decorating!
For more Halloween recipes, try my Scoopable Pumpkin Patch Dirt Pudding Cake, Soft & Thick Monster Cookies, Mummy White Chocolate Brownies, and Gooey Candy Bar Blondies.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use a high-quality, unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: You'll need granulated sugar for the cupcake batter and powdered sugar for the buttercream.
- Butter: While I often like to use salted butter in baking recipes, it's very important to use unsalted butter in this one, especially in the buttercream. Using salted butter in buttercream can give a more savory taste, so it's best to stick with unsalted and add a pinch of kosher salt if you'd like.
- Sour Cream + Buttermilk: I love using a combination of sour cream and buttermilk for a tangy flavor and moist, fluffy texture.
- Egg Whites: To keep these cupcakes white, we're adding only whipped egg whites. This also contributes to that soft, fluffy texture!
- Candy Pumpkins: Use candy pumpkins, candy corn, or any other Halloween candy for the ghosts to hold!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this white ghost cupcake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Make the cupcake batter
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until just combined. In a small bowl, add the egg whites and use an electric hand mixer to beat until medium peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until fully combined.
Bake the cupcakes
Line two cupcake pans with parchment cups. Add a piping tip to each between the cups and the pan as pictured. Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter between 17 parchment cups. Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes or until the centers spring back to the touch.
Make the buttercream
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about 10 minutes until fluffy and very white. Add the sifted powdered sugar a little at a time. Take about ¼ cup of the buttercream and place in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds until melted, then pour back into the buttercream. Continue mixing on low speed until smooth.Â
Pipe the buttercream
Using the piping bag with the large round tip, pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake.
Freeze
Gently press each cupcake upside down onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Decorate
Add the halved candy pumpkins to the cupcakes. Using the piping bag with the small round tip, pipe little arms to hold the pumpkin. Using the royal icing, pipe little eyes onto each cupcake.
Expert Baking Tips
- Whip the butter for a full 10 minutes. To get a really white, fluffy buttercream, be sure to beat the butter on medium speed for a full 10 minutes.Â
- Alternative to royal icing eyes:Â If you don't want to make royal icing for the eyes, you can use any leftover buttercream and color it with black food gel, or use black pearl sprinkles.
Recipe FAQs
To get a really white, fluffy buttercream, be sure to beat the butter on medium speed for a full 10 minutes before adding the powdered sugar.Â
Store these cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.Â
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other Halloween recipes to try
If you tried this recipe, I'd love to know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating & review below and post a picture (or video!) on Instagram and tag me so I can see your bakes! Not ready to make this recipe yet? Click the heart button on the right of your screen to save it for later 🙂
📖 Recipe
White Ghost Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
For the white cupcakes:
- 200 g (1 â…” cups) cake flour
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 113 g (½ cup) sour cream
- 113 g (½ cup) buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites
For the white American buttercream:
- 340 g (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
- 340 g (3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
For the royal icing eyes:
- 14 g (1 tablespoon) water, plus 1-2 teaspoon as needed
- 28 g (2 tablespoon) meringue powder
- 40 g (â…“ cup) powdered sugar
- Black food gel
For decorating:
- Candy pumpkins, cut in half
Instructions
For the white cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two cupcake pans with parchment cups. Add a piping tip to each between the cups and the pan as pictured above.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until just combined.
- In a small bowl, add the egg whites and use an electric hand mixer to beat until medium peaks form.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until fully combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the batter between 17 parchment cups.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 18 minutes or until the centers spring back to the touch.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before decorating.
For the white American buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the room temp unsalted butter. Beat on medium speed for about 10 minutes until fluffy and very white.
- While mixing on low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar a little at a time.
- Once all of the powdered sugar has been added and well combined, take about ¼ cup of the buttercream and place in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds until melted, then pour back into the buttercream. Continue mixing on low speed until smooth.
- Transfer most of the buttercream to a piping bag with a large round piping tip, and the remaining buttercream to another piping bag with a small round piping tip.
For the royal icing:
- In a small bowl, add the water and meringue powder. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Add the powdered sugar, and mix on low speed until fully combined.
- To bring the icing to your desired piping consistency, mix in an additional 1-2 teaspoon water.
- Lastly, mix in a drop or two of black food gel.
- Transfer the royal icing to a piping bag or plastic bag.
For decorating:
- Using the piping bag with the large round tip, pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake.
- Gently press each cupcake upside down onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
- Gently peel the cupcakes off of the parchment paper.
- Add the halved candy pumpkins to the cupcakes.
- Using the piping bag with the small round tip, pipe little arms to hold the pumpkin.
- Using the royal icing, pipe little eyes onto each cupcake.
Notes
- Whip the butter for a full 10 minutes. To get a really white, fluffy buttercream, be sure to beat the butter on medium speed for a full 10 minutes.Â
- Alternative to royal icing eyes:Â If you don't want to make royal icing for the eyes, you can use any leftover buttercream and color it with black food gel, or use black pearl sprinkles.
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