Funfetti (Skeleton) Cupcakes

Parties are uncomfortable for me.  Partly because I'm socially awkward, and partly because people usually end up discussing things from the 80's or 90's like Chips (apparently a show and not a delicious snack) and funfetti cupcakes (apparently a rite of childhood passage).  Not having really grown up in this country, half the time I have no idea what's going on during these conversations, so I usually nod and smile and scan the room for something to stuff in my mouth so I don't have to say anything.

Would you believe me if I told you I'd never had a funfetti cupcake before last weekend?  I don't like sprinkles so the idea of them in cupcakes never really appealed to me. 

Turns out they're pretty good.


I made these for my little boy's 4th birthday.  He loves bones and skeletons and all kinds of "body" things.  I love seeing his face light up when I make him something special.  I'm thinking you should probably make these for Halloween with black/orange sprinkles inside and chocolate frosting under the skeleton topper.  (If you don't happen to have a body-loving 4 year old.)

This recipe isn't really "homemade" because it uses a boxed mix, but it lets you add your own sprinkles to a white mix, so you can use any color or combination you want.

Funfetti Cupcakes 

-1 box white cake mix (don't use yellow; it has food coloring in it and will turn out yellow even if you omit the egg yolks)

-Egg whites, oil, and water per your cake mix instructions

-1/4 cup sprinkles (I used confetti sprinkles, as pictured below, for bright tiny dots of color, but be aware that these "bleed" more than the long j-shaped jimmies, so they can turn your batter grey if you overmix them.  If you use the regular jimmies they shouldn't bleed much.)

Preheat oven. Prepare cupcake tins with 24 baking paper liners. Mix your cake mix and other ingredients according to box directions.  Add sprinkles to batter and stir once or twice or just until combined.  Quickly spoon mixture into tins and bake according to box directions.

Frost with your favorite frosting and add sprinkles or skeletons if desired.

White Chocolate Skeleton Toppers

-White candy melts (don't use real white chocolate for this)

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.  Melt candy melts in the microwave at 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.  It will probably take about 2 minutes total.  Pour mixture into a cake decorating bag (I do not recommend using a ziploc and cutting off the tip for these- you need a really precise tip).

Cut a tiny tip in your baggie and pipe skeleton shapes onto parchment.  I found it easiest to start with a big blob for the head and then draw the spine/ribs followed by the arms, and then the legs. 

When you have piped all your skeletons, move tray to the freezer for a few minutes to set completely.  

Use to top cupcakes.