Little boys love monsters. Well, the ones I know do. I created these for a 2nd birthday party.

Here are some fun ways to decorate cupcakes for a monster party (these will also be great for Halloween). I’ve used a basic chocolate cupcake as my base, but you could use any flavour. Be creative: different sweets, colours and piping nozzles will make your cakes extra scary.

It doesn’t matter if your piping isn’t perfect – I made mine in a rush. As long as there are bright colours and big eyes, they will look monster-ish and the little guests will love them.

Monster-ous Cupcakes

Makes 12

12 cupcakes, any flavour

FOR THE VANILLA FROSTING

240g/9oz butter, at room temperature

750g/1lb 10oz icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

75ml/3 fl oz milk

FOR THE DECORATION

gel food colourings

mini marshmellows, pink and white

liquorice allsorts

writing icing (available in supermarkets)

cocktail sticks

icing nozzles (I’ve used a multi open grass tip for the orange, a star for the blue ones, and a plain round nozzle for the green monsters.

Make the frosting. Place the butter, icing sugar, vanilla essence and milk into a free standing mixer. Mix on a low speed until the ingredients come together, then beat on high for 5 minutes until it is light and fluffy. To make by hand, beat the butter with a wooden spoon and add the icing sugar in batches before adding the vanilla and milk.

Divide the frosting into 3 bowls. Add your chosen colourings to each and mix well. If using gel colours you won’t need very much to achieve a bright colour.

Fill 3 disposable piping bags, fitted with nozzles, with the coloured icings. Pipe onto the cakes. You want to make a furry effect if possible. Keep swirling and piping and building up the frosting until you have a monster-y looking topping.

To make a cyclops eye, place a liquorice allsort on top of the frosted cake. For normal eyes, put 2 of the allsorts on top.

For antenna eyes, cut cocktail sticks in half. Top a stick with a mini marshmellow, and pipe on a black eye on one end with the writing icing. Stick in the cake at funny angles.

For monster teeth, take a pink mini marshmellow and make four snips into it. Stick on your cupcake with extra icing.

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