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Red White and Blue Cupcakes Recipe

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4.1 from 76 reviews

These festive Red White and Blue Cupcakes are perfect for patriotic celebrations or any occasion that calls for a colorful treat. Featuring a classic white cake base divided and tinted into vibrant red, white, and blue layers, these cupcakes are topped with a creamy, fluffy cream cheese frosting elegantly decorated with matching gel colors. Fun to make and visually stunning, they bring a burst of color and flavor to your dessert table.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcake Batter

  • White cake mix, prepared according to package instructions
  • Red gel food coloring, to taste
  • Blue gel food coloring, to taste

Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (clear vanilla recommended for bright white frosting)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 to 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • Red gel food coloring, for decorating
  • Blue gel food coloring, for decorating
  • Sprinkles, for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. Prepare Colored Batter: Divide the prepared white cake batter evenly into three bowls. Add red gel food coloring to one bowl and blue gel food coloring to another. Adjust the amount of gel color until you achieve your desired shades of red and blue. Leave the third bowl with the plain white batter.
  3. Fill Cupcake Liners: Spoon a small amount of each colored batter—red, white, and blue—into each cupcake liner, filling them about halfway full to create a layered effect.
  4. Bake Cupcakes: Place the filled cupcake pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
  5. Make Frosting Base: In a large mixing bowl, place the softened butter and beat slightly using a mixer.
  6. Add Cream Cheese and Vanilla: Add the cream cheese to the butter and blend on medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Then add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix on low until just combined.
  7. Beat Frosting Fluffy: Increase mixer speed to medium and beat the frosting until it becomes fluffy and smooth.
  8. Adjust Consistency: Slowly add heavy whipping cream, one tablespoon at a time, beating until you reach your desired frosting consistency. Be cautious not to add too much if you want the frosting firm enough to pipe beautifully.
  9. Prepare Pastry Bag for Decoration: Fit a 16-inch pastry bag with a 1M tip. Using a small paintbrush, paint two stripes of red and two stripes of blue gel food coloring inside the bag.
  10. Fill Pastry Bag: Fill the decorated pastry bag with the white cream cheese frosting.
  11. Pipe Frosting: Pipe the white frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, creating a smooth, swirled top that will pick up hints of the red and blue stripes inside the bag for a patriotic effect.
  12. Decorate Cupcakes: Finish by topping the frosted cupcakes with sprinkles to add an extra festive touch.

Notes

  • Clear vanilla extract is recommended to keep the frosting frosting bright white.
  • Adjust gel food coloring amounts carefully to avoid altering batter consistency.
  • Use room temperature ingredients for easiest mixing and best texture.
  • If you prefer, use a toothpick to test cupcakes doneness before removing from oven.
  • Be gentle when piping frosting to avoid mixing the colors too much.
  • Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator if not serving immediately.
  • Author: ELLA
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://ellarecipe.com/red-white-and-blue-cupcakes-recipe/