Make Graveyard Cupcakes
Bake and decorate graveyard cupcakes using chocolate frosting, crushed cookies for dirt, cookie tombstones, gummy worms, and safe tools with adult supervision.
About this activity
Bake and decorate graveyard cupcakes using chocolate frosting, crushed cookies for dirt, cookie tombstones, gummy worms, and safe tools with adult supervision.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Preheat the oven to the temperature listed on the cupcake mix or recipe.
- 2
Step 2
Place cupcake liners into each cup of the muffin tin.
- 3
Step 3
Measure the ingredients for the cupcake batter following the box or recipe.
- 4
Step 4
Mix the measured ingredients in the bowl until the batter is smooth.
- 5
Step 5
Spoon the batter into each liner filling them about two-thirds full.
- 6
Step 6
Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for the time on the box with adult supervision.
- 7
Step 7
Remove the cupcakes from the oven with adult help and place them on the cooling rack to cool completely.
- 8
Step 8
Use the spatula or butter knife to spread a layer of chocolate frosting on the top of each cooled cupcake.
- 9
Step 9
Crush the chocolate sandwich cookies into small crumbs and sprinkle them over the frosting to make "dirt."
- 10
Step 10
Press a rectangular cookie or graham cracker into each cupcake upright to look like a tombstone.
- 11
Step 11
Add gummy worms by placing them on top of the cookie crumb dirt or hanging them over the tombstone.
- 12
Step 12
Take a picture of your graveyard cupcakes and share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Fun facts
How do you make graveyard cupcakes?
To make graveyard cupcakes, bake your favorite cupcake recipe and let the cupcakes cool completely. Spread a thick layer of chocolate frosting, then press crushed chocolate cookies on top to create “dirt.” Insert a cookie tombstone (rectangular cookie or graham cracker) and add gummy worms peeking out of the dirt. Pipe details with extra frosting if desired. Use child-safe tools and adult supervision for baking, cutting tombstones, and handling the oven.
What materials do I need to make graveyard cupcakes?
You'll need cupcake batter or a boxed mix, chocolate frosting, chocolate sandwich cookies (for crushing), cookies or graham crackers for tombstones, gummy worms, and optional candy or food coloring. For tools, gather a muffin tin, liners, mixing bowls and spoons, measuring cups, offset spatula or butter knife, piping bag or zip-top bag, rolling pin or cup to crush cookies, and oven mitts. Use child-safe utensils and have an adult handle hot or sharp tasks.
What ages are graveyard cupcakes suitable for?
Graveyard cupcakes suit a wide range: toddlers (2–4) can help press gummy worms and sprinkle crushed cookies with close supervision; preschoolers and early elementary kids (4–8) enjoy decorating and simple piping; older children (8–12+) can measure, mix batter, and use the oven with adult guidance. Always supervise oven, knives, and small choking hazards. Adapt tasks so younger children do safe, simple jobs while older kids take on baking and cutting.
What safety tips should I follow when making graveyard cupcakes?
Safety first: always supervise children around the oven, hot pans, and sharp tools. Use child-safe utensils, pre-cut tombstones or let adults cut cookies. Watch for choking risks from small candies for children under four. Check ingredient labels for allergies (nuts, gluten, dairy) and offer alternatives. Allow cupcakes to cool before decorating, keep surfaces clean, and teach handwashing. For extra safety, choose soft gummy alternatives for toddlers and never leave kids unattended during baking
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can we use instead of chocolate sandwich cookies or rectangular graham crackers if the store is out?
If you can't find chocolate sandwich cookies use crushed chocolate cereal or brownie crumbs for the 'dirt,' and if you have no rectangular graham crackers press a piece of square cookie or cut a larger cookie into tombstone shapes before step 11.
My cupcakes sank in the middle or the tombstones keep falling over—what should I check and fix?
Make sure you fill liners about two-thirds full and bake the exact time from the box (steps 5–6) to prevent sinking, and let cupcakes cool completely before pressing in the rectangular cookie (step 7 and 11) or use a short toothpick at the base to anchor the tombstone.
How can I adapt this activity for different age groups so it's safe and fun?
For preschoolers (3–5) have an adult handle the oven and help spoon batter and press pre-baked cupcakes, kids 6–9 can measure, mix, and crush cookies, and teens 10+ can bake from the box or scratch and pipe frosting and write tombstone messages.
How can we make the graveyard cupcakes more creative or personalize them for a party?
Personalize each cupcake by piping names or spooky sayings on the rectangular cookie with an icing pen, add colored candy sprinkles or edible glitter instead of or alongside gummy worms, and arrange cupcakes on a large tray as a multi-level graveyard display before photographing for DIY.org.