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You are going to love these festive 4th of July Cupcakes with red, white & blue swirl frosting! Soft, spongy cake, creamy buttercream, and colorful sprinkles—perfect for the 4th, Memorial Day, or any patriotic holiday!
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Independence Day has got to be one of my very favorite holidays. I love the hot summer days, local parades, neighborhood BBQs, fireworks… I love it all! Everything is red-white-and-blue, and that’s why these cupcakes are perfect for the occasion. I am telling you, show up with these cupcakes on the 4th and they will steal the show! They are easier to make than you might think and they are so fun to decorate. You’ve gotta try them!
The Best Batter for Cupcakes
This batter recipe is the one I use every time when I make homemade cupcakes. It makes the best, spongy, moist cupcakes and all you need is a box mix and some easy ingredient upgrades. Instead of using water and oil like most cake mixes require, I use buttermilk and melted butter. I also like to add a box of pudding mix to give it more substance. Usually I just add one more egg than what the box calls for but since I want to keep the batter a vibrant white for the white layer, I use egg whites only.
How to Make 4th of July Cupcakes
The steps to making these cupcakes are SO easy and really only take a few minutes to throw together. For full recipe ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Make the batter – combine the batter ingredients and mix until combined. You can do this by hand or in an electric mixer. Separate the batter and stir in food coloring then a scoop of each color to each cupcake liner.
- Bake – Bake for 14-18 minutes at 350-degrees F or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. The tops should be fluffy and spongy and not sink in when removed from the oven.
- Decorate – The fun part! Decorate with swirled buttercream frosting (see next paragraph) and decorate with sprinkles or red-white-and-blue candies.
How to Decorate 4th of July Cupcakes
After making the buttercream frosting (recipe in the recipe card below), separate it into 3 different bowls. Dye one bowl of frosting with red food coloring, one with blue, and leave one white. Place each color in a piping bag and pipe a line of each color down the middle of a large square of plastic wrap. To see how this is done, make sure “view step photos” is toggled *on* in the recipe card and you will see the detailed steps. Roll up the plastic wrap, cut off one end with sharp scissors, and place in another piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe the swirled frosting onto the cupcakes and add sprinkles or candies to top them off!
Recipe Tips and Suggestions
Keep the whites bright – Use egg whites instead of whole eggs, white chocolate pudding instead of vanilla, and clear vanilla instead of brown to keep the white batter and frosting vibrant. Using the other ingredients will make your batter and frosting have a yellow or muddy tint.
Use Pop Rocks – For a more “poppin'” cupcake, try adding Pop Rocks candies to the cupcakes. It feels like fireworks in your mouth! This is my kids’ preferred topping.
Decorate with cake sparklers – Add sparkler candles (they have cute ones at Target) or firework cupcake toppers. Be sure you are using sparklers designed for cakes to avoid any unwanted catastrophe.
4th of July Cupcakes Recipe
Equipment
- 4 piping bags & large star tip (for frosting)
- 20 Cupcake Liners
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 (14.25 ounce) white cake mix (I used the Betty Crocker mix)
- 1 (3.3 ounce) white chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup melted butter
- 4 egg whites
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 1/4 cup butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or whole milk)
- red and blue gel food coloring
- sprinkles (optional, for decorating)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.Add cupcake liners to pans and set aside. You should need 18-20 liners.
- Combine cake mix, pudding mix, buttermilk, butter, and egg whites in a mixing bowl. Mix until combined but be careful not to overmix.
- Separate batter into 3 bowls. Dye one bowl of batter red, one blue, and keep one white.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop each color of batter into cupcake liners, filling each of them ¾ of the way full.
- Bake for 14-18 minutes in preheated oven. They are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Turn the cupcakes out of the pan immediately and cool completely before adding frosting.
For the Frosting:
- While cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. Cream shortening and butter in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment at medium speed.
- Add vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar about a cup at a time and mix well. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl often. Add milk or cream and beat until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar to thicken and milk or cream to thin.
Decorating the Cupcakes:
- Divide frosting into 3 bowls for coloring. Use the dye to color one batch red and one blue.
- To make a swirl pattern pipe lines, one of each color, over a large square of plastic wrap (to see how this is done, make sure " view step photos" is toggled on above).
- Roll up the frosting in the plastic wrap and cut off the tip of one side.
- Slip the frosting tube into a piping bag with a large star decorating tip. Make sure the cut side is facing down toward the tip.
- Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and decorate with 4th of July sprinkles.
Nutrition Information
More 4th of July Recipes
More Cupcake Recipes
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Easter Cupcakes
Easy Filled Cupcakes
Cherry Limeade Cupcakes
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
