In today’s post I’m going to show you how to make these fast and easy ghost cupcakes, perfect for Hallowe’en!
The sweet treats can be prepped in advance and top homemade cupcakes or you can pick up store-bought cupcakes and throw the whole thing together last-minute.
I’d seen versions of this style topper on various sites around the internet and put mine together using the features I liked from various ones, plus added my own twist. These and these have fondant over marshmallows but I didn’t like the square look it gave the ghosts. These and these achieve a more rounded look by draping fondant over lollipops, but as my cupcakes were for a party for adults I didn’t think the lollipops would end up eaten. After browsing my local bulk shop I came up with the idea of topping the marshmallows with rounded gumdrop candies.
What you will need for the ghosts:
- white fondant
- lollipop sticks (1 per ghost)
- marshmallows (1 per ghost)
- large round gumdrops (1 per ghost if half-drop shape, 1 per 2 ghosts if you cut spherical candies in half)
- rolling pin or fondant roller (with optional rolling mat)
- 5″ diameter circle cookie or biscuit cutter
- white icing, water, or clear piping gel
- black food marker
You can place each ghost in a treat bag and hand out as-is or use them to top homemade or store-bought cake or cupcakes.
Step 1: Assemble your marshmallows, gumdrops and sticks to prepare the ghost bases
Push the lollipop stick up through a marshmallow and halfway into a gumdrop. You can wet the top of the marshmallow first with a thin smear of icing, clear piping gel or light brush of water to help the marshmallow and gumdrop adhere together, however I found that the tackiness on the stick from being shoved through the marshmallow did not make this necessary.
Repeat until you have as many ghost bases as you need, then set them upright by pressing into foam, flower foam, egg cartons, etc…
Roll out your fondant and cut out a circle with your cutter. I topped each gumdrop with a small dollop of icing so the fondant would stick, but you can also use clear piping gel or water. Apply the fondant over the ghost base, centering the circle over the gumdrop and smooth into place. Use your fingers to crease the excess into ghostly folds. Note: don’t apply too much icing/water/gel or the fondant can thin and tear if it gets too wet.
Repeat for each ghost and set them aside in your chosen support so the fondant can set up a bit. If desired prep a cake or cupcakes to be ready for the toppers. I’d baked up some chocolate cupcakes and gave them a thin layer of vanilla icing.
Once the fondant is no longer pliable you can finish off your ghosties by adding black eyes with a black edible marker. You can play around with the eye shape to give them all unique expressions!
Repeat until all your ghosts can see and then set them into your cake/cupcakes (if using). If you are placing them into treat bags to give out as Hallowe’en favors, allow them to air-dry until the fondant sets up.
These were served along with the Paint Nite cake and cookies from my last post, and made for a really fun Hallowe’en party treat table!
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