These tasty Fourth of July cupcakes are the perfect dessert to celebrate the 4th! This Red, White, and Blue dessert recipe is easy to make and they are so pretty on your dessert table.
This is a fun patriotic dessert idea for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July and the best part is that they are made from a boxed cake mix, which helps save you time.
Why This Recipe
Cupcakes are always a hit at barbecues and gatherings. These fun cupcakes are three colors! It's a fun surprise when someone bites into the cupcake and sees the colors not only on the frosting but in the cupcake itself.
Cupcakes are also great because they are super simple to serve, no need to cut a cake and they are already in individual servings which is still important right now.
You can customize the cupcakes with star sprinkles, star picks and flag picks. They also look so festive on a table.
What a fun Fourth of July dessert idea!
4th of July Cupcake Ingredients
You will just need a handful of ingredients to make these fun cupcakes.
Cake Mix - You can use your favorite store-bought cake mix brand for this recipe. I recommend using a White or Vanilla cake mix.
Oil - You will need the amount of oil required for the cake mix directions.
Eggs - I use Grade AA eggs.
Gel Food Coloring - I like to use this brand of food coloring.
Sprinkles - for flavor
Kitchen Tools and Equipment For this Recipe
- Piping bags
- 1M piping tip - this one is the best for swirl cupcakes!
- Hand or stand mixer
- Food color (Pink, Red, and Blue)
- Cupcake toppers, optional
How to Make Fourth of July Cupcakes
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mix cake mix.
- Divide the cake mix into thirds and color one-third Red and one-third Blue.
- Fill baking cups with ⅓ of each color.
- Bake as directed.
Fourth of July Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Vanilla Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter or shortening
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare cupcake tins with liners.
- Prepare cake mix according to package instructions.
- Once batter is made, split into thirds into three bowls.
- Dye one bowl blue.
- Dye one bowl red by adding two drops of pink gel food coloring. Mixing throughly and then
- adding 2 drops of red gel coloring.
- Leave the last bowl white (if using a vanilla mix you can dye it white with white gel coloring.
- Add the 3 batter colors to individual piping bags snipping the end and alternating colors add batter to the cupcake liners about ¾ full.
- Bake for 12-15 mins testing with A toothpick or butter knife around the 12 mins mark.
- Let cupcake cool completely.
- Make frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
- While the cupcakes are cooking, prepare the frosting.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and vanilla until creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar.
- Add the milk or heavy cream until frosting reaches the desired consistency.
- Split the buttercream into 3 colors.
- Following the same instructions as the batter dye the frosting red and blue.
- Place each color into a piping bag and snip the ends.
- Prep a separate piping bag with a 1M tip .
- Add the 3 piping bags with the colored frosting into the bag with the piping tip. This will create a tri-color frosting.
- Pipe a star into the center of the cupcake.
- Then without releasing pressure pipe a swirl around that tip, applying even pressure.
- Release the pressure when you are about to complete the circle around the center star and then pull away. Repeat for each cupcake.
Nutrition
Timesaving Tips to make this perfect every time
- To make red you must first dye the cake mix and icing pink, then red. Adding red coloring to
white will simply turn it pink. - If your cupcakes have a “tail” you aren’t releasing pressure before pulling off.
FAQ - Making Cupcakes
Will Cupcakes Go Stale Overnight?
Cupcakes are best made the day you plan to serve them. If you make them the day before store in an airtight container in a cool place overnight. If the cupcakes are frosted with buttercream frosting, they should be refrigerated. If you can, make the cupcakes ahead of time and frost them the next day.
How Long Should Cupcakes Cool?
Cool Cupcakes in the pan for about 5-7 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack so that they do not overcook.
Can Cupcakes Be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make the cupcakes the day before and keep the unfrosted cupcakes wrapped at room temperature.
Can You Freeze Cupcakes?
Yes, arrange on a pan or baking sheet in a single layer. Wrap in plastic wrap and then wrap again in foil. Cupcakes will keep 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before unwrapping and frosting.
Related recipes
Red White and Blue Parfaits - Delicious fruit and yogurt parfaits that are ready in minutes!
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