These spooky cupcake candles seemed like a ghastly good baking idea.

Here’s my verdict.

The Baking Process

I love baking, but Im certainly not a professional.

chocolate cupcakes with frosting

Credit:Blaine Moats

Fortunately, the ingredients are oh-so-simple.

Make the Frosting:I made asimple frosting using powdered sugar, butter, and milk.

This should to be relatively thickthink spreadable but sturdy.

Two towers of cupcakes stacked on top of each other with straws through the middle

Credit:Sophia Beams

Mix the Ganache:But the most important baking step?

It needs to be very watery to achieve the melted candle effect.

I melted some chocolate and added milk and more black dye.

Two black frosted candle cupcakes, lit, on a plate with candycorn

Credit:Sophia Beams

This made the candle look way more realistic once applied, so dont skip this part!

This will make them more structurally sound and easier to stack without leaving holes in your candles.

Stack Cupcakes:Next, frost the tops of each cupcake before stacking them.

Then, insert a regular straw into the middle of each cupcake stack.

I cut the straws as needed so they would be hidden beneath the frosting.

Frost the Treats:Frosting the cupcakeswas challenging.

To combat this, I frosted them completely, then refrigerated them.

This will flatten it out and make it look smooth.

This is essential for this recipe, especially if you dont have a fancy cake spinner.

The candles looked much better once lit!

For a first attempt, they turned out pretty well.

(At the very least, theyre kind of endearing.)

The Verdict

So, should you make these cupcake candles for yourHalloween party?

If youre short on time and have a lot of guests to feed, Id skip this recipe.

Don’t underestimate how difficult it is to frost a wobbly skewer of cupcakes.

However, the candles make a funHalloween centerpiece, especially if you’re hosting a party.

For an “Is it real cake?”