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Say, “Happy Fourth!” with these festive little 4th of July Cupcakes. These are moist, sweet cupcakes topped with a tangy, cream cheese frosting. If you’re looking for a festive cake option to decorate your dessert table, you must also try my Flag Cake.
Vanilla Cake Transformed
Happy 4th of July!
You guys, these 4th of July Cupcakes are the quite possibly the most patriotic dessert in all the land! My go-to vanilla cupcake recipe gets a makeover with food coloring, killer cream cheese frosting, and sprinkles! Nothing says summer holiday quite like sugar on sugar on sugar. Basically, every kids’ dreams come true.
I brought these to a BBQ a few nights ago and people ended up fighting over them. Like mother against daughter “give me a bite of your cupcake!!” I think they were surprised that a plain old vanilla cupcake could taste that awesome. Moist, sweet, and tender cake with a tangy, perfectly sweet cream cheese frosting. Simplicity at its best. AND, you probably have all the ingredients on hand 🙂 Cha-ching! Money in the bank. Just be sure to NOT over-bake the cupcakes and to use Philly cream cheese.
Need more frosting options? Try my Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting, Vegan Chocolate Frosting, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Frosting, Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe.
Food Coloring + Sprinkles Options
Food Coloring – The fun part about these cupcakes is dying the batter red and blue! I like using gel food colorant because a little goes a long way but liquid food coloring will work too.
Sprinkles – optional but super fun for kids! Use what you have or order special sprinkles for an event.
Can I Use Different Colors?
The beauty of this recipe is that you don’t *have* to use red and blue food coloring! All my Canadian friends could do red and white for Canada Day too! Or, you could pick out some favorite colors and turn these into birthday cupcakes, or school colors for a graduation party. Consider this a tie-dye type of recipe (kinda like these Mini Tie Dye Cheesecakes)! The possibilities are seriously endless!
How To Make 4th of July Cupcakes
Here you’ll find the step-by-step directions for making the cupcakes and frosting. For full complete details and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Preheat Oven + Prep Muffin Tins
Preheat oven. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside.
Make Cake Batter
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, for 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, alternate adding in the dry ingredients with the milk until none remain. Scrape sides to ensure even mixing. Fold in whipped egg whites.
Divide + Color Batter
Divide batter between 3 different bowls. Stir red food coloring into one and blue into another one. I tried to find a balance between bright-colored cupcakes vs tastes like gross food coloring cupcakes.
Fill Cupcake Tins, Bake + Cool
Using a cookie dough scoop, spoon a scoop of each of the white, red, and blue cake batters, into prepared cupcake pans, alternating colors. Once muffin tins are filled 3/4 of the way, bake until a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted. Set aside to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat cream cheese and butter together to combine. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Scrape sides and beat for 3 minutes until the frosting lightens in color and thickens slightly.
Frost Cupcakes + Add Sprinkles
Frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles. After you pull the paper liners off, kids go NUTS for these!
Storing Cupcakes
Because the frosting has cream cheese in it, I would recommend storing these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Make Ahead
You can make these cupcakes a few days ahead of when you need them. Bake and cool cupcakes and store at room temperature in an airtight container or bag. For the cream cheese frosting, store in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to frost, allow to sit out on the counter to soften up. I suggest giving it a quick re-whip until it’s smooth and creamy again. You might need to add a little milk to loosen the consistency.
Can I freeze frosted cupcakes?
Yes! You will want to place frosted cupcakes in a sturdy freezer safe container that will keep the cupcakes from getting smooshed. Avoid placing plastic wrap to cover the tops, that will just make a mess. Cupcakes will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Fourth of July Desserts!
- Flag Cake
- Old-Fashioned Mini Cherry Pie
- Double Berry Galette
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Buttery Apple Pie Recipe
- Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Let me know if you make these this July 4th weekend!
The printable recipe card is down below 🙂
More Fourth of July Desserts!
- Flag Cake
- Old-Fashioned Mini Cherry Pie
- Double Berry Galette
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Buttery Apple Pie Recipe
- Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe
Let me know if you make these this July 4th weekend!
The printable recipe card is down below 🙂
4th of July Cupcakes
Ingredients
for the cupcakes-
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- food coloring red and blue
for the frosting-
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature (Philadelphia brand is preferred)
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
- In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Alternate stirring in the dry ingredients with the milk until none remain. Scrape sides to ensure even mixing.
- Fold in whipped egg whites.
- Divide batter between 3 different bowls. Stir red food coloring into one and blue into another one.
- Alternating between the white, red, and blue cake batters, spoon into prepared cupcake pans, alternating colors. Once muffin tins are filled 3/4 of the way, bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted. Set aside to cool.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter together to combine. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Scrape sides and beat for 3 minutes until the frosting lightens in color and thickens slightly.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles.
Nutrition
Click HERE for 60 4th of July Desserts
So beautifully decorated! I must say you are supremely talented.
So how do you get each round just so? Must have a lot of left over cake bits?
I bake them in cupcake tins (half red, half blue) and slice each in half and then match them up so there aren’t any leftovers.
I searched for the red and blue cake mixes, no luck!
[…] Fourth of July Cupcakes […]
I can’t wait to make these for the 4th of July! What a neat idea!!!
Festive dessert! Your photos always inspire. Thanks for the cute idea!