Poke Cake Shark Cupcakes the Kids Will Love

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Hosting a shark themed party for your kid’s birthday can be so much fun! But a birthday party isn’t the only excuse to make these cute shark cupcakes. From an ocean themed homeschool unit to a Shark Week watch party, these poke cake treats are a fun dessert idea. Top them with sweet gummies to create a cute snacks the kids and adults will love.

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When it comes to finding easy desserts for a kid’s party, cupcakes are the way to go. And since these simple treats can be made using a boxed mix or even store-bought cakes, they couldn’t be easier to put together!

Shark Cupcakes

You’re going to love just how simple these fun shark themed cupcakes are to make! That’s because there’s no special decorating skills needed.

When you’re searching for shark party cake ideas, cupcakes are the way to go! They’re quick and easy to make, and so much simpler to decorate than a full cake. To make these cool shark attack birthday cupcakes, you’ll need:

• Cupcakes. I used a boxed cake mix to make the cupcakes, but you could also use store-bought cupcakes for this quick party idea. Just remove the icing that comes along with the premade cupcakes and add your own decorations!
• Icing. You can use store-bought icing or make your own from scratch for this simple dessert. You’ll just need some blue food coloring to give it an ocean colored hue.
• Red Jello. Add a fun surprise into every bite of these cupcakes by adding some red Jello to the cupcakes. You can use any flavor as long as it’s red!
• Shark gummies and Swedish fish. Finish decorating your fun treats with some chewy candy! I found these gummy sharks and mini Swedish fish in the candy aisle of Dollar Tree.

How to Decorate Shark Cupcakes

The key to making these poke cake shark treats is the red Jello filling that looks like blood! It’s the perfect addition to a shark themed snack!

Once your cupcakes have finished baking, allow them to cool completely. Then, use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the cupcakes.

Next, combine your Jello packet with hot water and stir to mix. Once all the powder is dissolved, add cold water to the bowl and stir to mix.

I suggest transferring your cupcakes to a baking dish for this next step because it can get a little messy! Use a spoon or dropper to squirt the Jello mixture into each hole in the cupcake. The more targeted you are with the Jello, the better the inside of the cupcakes will look!

After you have all the cupcakes filled with Jello, place them in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour. You can keep them in the fridge up to overnight if you need to.

When you’re ready to start decorating, mix the blue food coloring into the icing and blend until no white streaks remain.

Use a flat spatula to spread the icing over the top of each cupcakes. I used a swirling motion on top of each cupcake to give it a wavy look.

After that, all that’s left to do is decorate the cupcakes with gummies. Place a gummy shark into the top of the cupcake, then press a Swedish fish into the cake upright to make it look like it’s jumping out of the water.

Shark Cupcake Ideas

See how easy it is to make your own shark themed cupcakes at home? And I’m sure the kids will be impressed when they take a bite and see all the blood in the water!

And while I love the gummy sharks on top of each treat — and I’m sure the kids will too — they’re not the only way you can decorate your ocean themed treats! Try these other decorating ideas if you want to change things up.

• Shark fin cupcake toppers
• Rubber shark toy cupcake toppers
• Ocean wave cupcake wrappers
• Baby shark cupcake toppers
• Swimming shark cupcake toppers

More Easy Party Ideas:

Easy Shark Slushie Perfect for a Birthday Party

Shark Marshmallow Pops

Shark Cookies for a Birthday Party

Shark Party Printables