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These 4th of July cupcakes are a tasty, colorful, fluffy dessert perfect for summer. With red, white, and blue swirled frosting, they not only taste delicious but are fun to look at, too.
I’m a cake person, and I especially love cupcakes. They are so fun, and you get your own little personalized cake for yourself; that is my favorite part of that. Our 4th of July Cupcakes definitely stand out.
Super colorful, these Patriotic Cupcakes are perfect for the 4th of July, Labor Day, or Memorial Day! They are always one of the first desserts gone when we bring them to gatherings.
With egg whites beaten and added to the cupcake batter it really gives these a nice and fluffy texture that you will not want to stop eating.
There is no better way to celebrate a holiday than cupcakes! These guys will be the best part of your July 4th party.
I love color, so with these Firecracker Cupcakes, we went with a super fun, super easy swirl technique —I will show you below how to do it! We love doing this with any of our colorful cupcakes.
I can’t get enough of these red, white, and blue colors. It’s the perfect way to get all the patriotism you can.
If you are looking for that perfect celebration cupcake recipe then you absolutely have to give these 4th of July cupcakes a try. Super kid-friendly and everyone will love them.
Some of my other favorite cupcake recipes we have on our site include: Oreo Cupcakes, Angel Food Lemon Cupcakes and Mini Mimosa Cupcakes.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Easily available ingredients help this come together quickly.
- You can switch out the frosting colors for other occasions.
- Double this recipe to serve more people or to have on hand for later use.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg whites
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- All-purpose flour
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk
- White chocolate
- Powdered sugar
- Whipping cream
- Red, white, and blue food coloring
HOW TO MAKE 4th OF JULY CUPCAKES:
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy with the sugar, except for the extra 1 ½ tablespoons.
- Place the white chocolate in the microwave for 20 second intervals until completely melted. Make sure not to burn. Add the white chocolate to the sugar mixture.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Mix until combined. Be careful to not over mix.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are light and fluffy. Add in the 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar, little by little.
- Once the egg whites form peaks, fold them into the cupcake mixture.
- Distribute the batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling each liner about ⅔ of the way up.
- Bake for 19 – 20 minutes at 350°F or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then take them out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Using a standing mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add in the sifted powdered sugar, little by little, alternating with the vanilla and whipping cream.
- Mix until fluffy and transfer into three separate bowls. Distribute evenly, I would suggest using a kitchen scale.
- Add in the food coloring to each of the bowls and mix until the color is even throughout all the buttercream.
- Transfer each color into a piping bag. Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it on your counter. Then take the blue color piping bag and spread a line over the plastic wrap. The line should measure approximately the length of your piping bag. It should fit into the bag and fill it almost completely in length. Repeat once again on top so you have a line that is double the thickness.
- Continue doing the same thing for the red color, then the white, and repeat each color once more until there are two blue lines, two white, and two red.
- Roll one edge in until it touches the last color which should be white. At the end, the blue touches the white color. This will give you the shape of a cylinder. Tie up the edges. Cut one of the edges and place that part into the bottom of another piping bag sleeve with your decorating tip placed. This way your dollop of icing will be three colors and the colors won’t smudge together.
- Add a large dollop onto each cupcake, from the outside inwards, and serve. Make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled before adding the icing. If not the frosting can melt. Serve and enjoy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
WHAT IS THE FLAVOR AND TEXTURE OF THESE CUPCAKES?
These are vanilla cupcakes with a hint of white chocolate that are light and fluffy from the folded-in egg whites.
They are set off with a delicious and flavorful vanilla buttercream.
WHAT DOES THE EGG WHITES DO TO THE CUPCAKES?
The egg whites give the cupcakes volume and a fluffy texture.
It really makes them light and fluffy and not dense like a normal cupcake.
They are usually used in cakes such as sponge cake or angel food cake, so think of that texture and you get that with these cupcakes as well.
CAN I USE OTHER COLORS FOR THE FROSTING?
Absolutely. We went with the red, white, and blue for this because we made patriotic 4th of July cupcakes, but you can switch out the colors for this recipe for any occasion.
Use pastels for Easter, red and green for Christmas, black and orange for Halloween, or even a rainbow.
You can make these with any colors that you desire.
I do highly recommend that you use gel food coloring because it gives more color saturation with less amount than you would need using regular food coloring.
ANY ADDITIONS?
- Butter: Use margarine or coconut oil in place of butter for a different fat source, perfect for those with dietary preferences.
- Granulated Sugar: Substitute with coconut sugar for a deeper flavor that pairs well with the simple ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour: Use a gluten-free flour blend to make these cupcakes gluten-free, ensuring everyone can enjoy these delicious 4th of July cupcakes.
- Whipping Cream: Use milk for the buttercream if needed.
You better believe it! I’ve got some awesome ideas here.
- Sprinkles: Add star sprinkles for a festive touch and to enhance the patriotic look.
- Chocolate Chips: Fold in mini chocolate chips for a delightful surprise inside your festive cupcakes.
- Fruit Fillings: Add a dollop of strawberry or blueberry jam in the center of each cupcake before baking for a burst of fruity flavor will make these the best 4th of july cupcakes.
- Nutella: Add a spoonful of Nutella in the middle for a chocolaty surprise that your party guests will love.
- Coconut Flakes: Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top for a crunchy texture that complements the patriotic red, white & blue theme.
- Edible Glitter: Dust with edible glitter for a sparkly finish that will make these cupcakes the perfect addition to any summer holiday celebration.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Let me know in the comments if you think anything else should have showed up here.
- Butter: Use margarine or coconut oil in place of butter for a different fat source, perfect for those with dietary preferences.
- Granulated Sugar: Substitute with coconut sugar for a deeper flavor that pairs well with the simple ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour: Use a gluten-free flour blend to make these cupcakes gluten-free, ensuring everyone can enjoy these delicious 4th of July cupcakes.
- Whipping Cream: Use milk for the buttercream if needed.
- Food Coloring: Use natural food coloring powders if you prefer to avoid artificial colors, still achieving the bright colors needed for your patriotic cupcakes.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Use cream cheese instead of vanilla frosting.
HOW TO STORE:
To store you can place the cupcakes in an airtight container and they will keep on the countertop for up to 3 days and 5 days in the refrigerator.
These easy 4th of july cupcakes can also be frozen, frosted, or unfrosted in a freezer container where they will keep for up to 3 months.
To defrost, remove to the refrigerator overnight then to the countertop to slightly come to room temperature, if freezing unfrosted now is the time to make your buttercream and frost.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- You can use multiple different colors for the frosting depending on the occasion.
- We use a French tip for this recipe but you can use an open start tip as well.
- This recipe can easily be doubled to serve more people or keep for later consumption.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
- Gel food coloring works the best for the buttercream.
Want a fun recipe to celebrate the upcoming holiday season?
These 4th of July Cupcakes are fun, easy, and kid-friendly and are the perfect recipe to bring to any gathering.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
If you’ve tried these 4th OF JULY CUPCAKES, let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Easy 4th of July Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 9 Tablespoons butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar + 1 ½ Tablespoons extra for the egg whites
- ¼ cup white chocolate
- 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 egg whites
Buttercream:
- 2 cups butter softened
- 5 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons whipping cream
- Red white and blue food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a large bowl, set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter until fluffy with the sugar, except for the extra 1 ½ tablespoons.9 Tablespoons butter softened, ¾ cup granulated sugar + 1 ½ Tablespoons extra for the egg whites
- Place the white chocolate in the microwave for 20 second intervals until completely melted. Make sure not to burn. Add the white chocolate to the sugar mixture.¼ cup white chocolate
- Add the sifted dry ingredients, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Mix until combined. Be careful to not over mix.1 cup + 1 Tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are light and fluffy. Add in the 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar, little by little.3 egg whites
- Once the egg whites form peaks, fold them into the cupcake mixture.
- Distribute the batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling each liner about ⅔ of the way up.
- Bake for 19 – 20 minutes at 350°F or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then take them out and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Using a standing mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add in the sifted powdered sugar, little by little, alternating with the vanilla and whipping cream.2 cups butter softened, 5 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 Tablespoons whipping cream
- Mix until fluffy and transfer into three separate bowls. Distribute evenly, I would suggest using a kitchen scale.
- Add in the food coloring to each of the bowls and mix until the color is even throughout all the buttercream.Red
- Transfer each color into a piping bag. Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it on your counter. Then take the blue color piping bag and spread a line over the plastic wrap. The line should measure approximately the length of your piping bag. It should fit into the bag and fill it almost completely in length. Repeat once again on top so you have a line that is double the thickness.
- Continue doing the same thing for the red color, then the white, and repeat each color once more until there are two blue lines, two white, and two red.
- Roll one edge in until it touches the last color which should be white. At the end, the blue touches the white color. This will give you the shape of a cylinder. Tie up the edges. Cut one of the edges and place that part into the bottom of another piping bag sleeve with your decorating tip placed. This way your dollop of icing will be three colors and the colors won’t smudge together.
- Add a large dollop onto each cupcake, from the outside inwards, and serve. Make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled before adding the icing. If not the frosting can melt. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use multiple different colors for the frosting depending on the occasion.
- We use a French tip for this recipe but you can use an open start tip as well.
- This recipe can easily be doubled to serve more people or keep for later consumption.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
- Gel food coloring works the best for the buttercream.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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