Red White and Blue Cupcakes

4th of July cupcakes are simple from-scratch vanilla cupcakes topped with a homemade buttercream frosting decorated with red and blue stripes and topped with a cherry. Perfect for your patriotic celebration!

5 from 3 votes

Simple from-scratch vanilla cupcakes are topped with a homemade creamy frosting decorated with red and blue stripes and topped with a cherry for your patriotic celebration!

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 4th of July Cupcakes, homemade cupcakes, red white and blue cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes

Servings:

Calories: 429kcal

Author: Gwynn Galvin

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

10 Tbs. butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup milk
1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 lb. confectioners' sugar, about 4 cups
3 Tbs. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
red gel food color, such as Wilton red red icing color
blue gel food color, such as Wilton royal blue icing color
16 marachino cherries

Instructions

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 16 muffin cups with cupcake liners.
With mixer on medium speed beat butter and sugar until blended, light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until blended.
Add milk and vanilla until just combined. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat 1-2 minutes until batter is smooth.
Divide batter evenly between cupcake liners and bake 25 minutes or until tops are golden and toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes in pan. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Frosting:

Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add confectioners sugar and beat until blended.
Add milk and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. As you beat the frosting it will become lighter in color, creamier and fluffier.
Attach piping tip and pastry bag. Paint red and blue lines inside pastry bag. Carefully fill pastry bag with frosting and pipe onto tops of cupcakes and top with a cherry.

Notes

Makes 16 cupcakes.

Tip: For mini cupcakes line 48 mini muffin cups with cupcake liners. Prepare batter and divide evenly between mini liners. Bake 20 minutes or until tops are golden.

Nutrition