Celebrating Independence Day with friends and family is such a precious gift. Make the memory even more special with our gorgeous and easy 4th of July Cupcakes with swirl frosting.
4tbspheavy whipping cream(can substitute with water or milk)
Instructions
Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line to 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners or spray with a non-stick cooking spray.
Mix the cake batter ingredients and fill the muffin tins as directed on the cake mix.
Once batter the batter is made, split 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 3/4 full.
Bake the cupcakes Bake for 12-15 mins testing with a toothpick or butter knife around the 12 mins mark. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tin and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Frosting
Put the shortening in the bowl of an electric stand mixer and blend on medium-high until the shortening is shiny and smooth. Turn the mixer on low and add 3 tablespoons of the cream one tablespoon at a time.
Spoon the sifted powdered sugar into the shortening mix with the mixer turned to low until totally incorporated. Add additional cream until you get the consistency needed for piping. You want a stiff frosting but not so stiff that it will not flow through a piping bag. When you can stand a knife in it that's about right.
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.
Using a 1M tip, add the 3 piping bags with the colored frosting into the bag with the piping tip. Pipe a star into the center of the cupcake.
Then without releasing the pressure pipe a swirl around that tip, applying even pressure. Release pressure and then pull away.
Notes
Be mindful that we specifically state white cake mix and not vanilla. A white mix takes the color easier than vanilla.The yellow tint to a vanilla cake mix will throw off your color slightly but it’s not a huge concern.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.Top with sprinkles or cupcake toppers immediately. If you wait the frosting will set and they will not stick to the cupcake.
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.