Description
These festive vanilla cupcakes come swirled in red, white, and blue colors, topped with creamy tri-color frosting – perfect for July 4th celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- Red gel food coloring
- Blue gel food coloring
- Sprinkles, stars, or sanding sugar for topping
- Paper liners and a standard muffin pan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin pan with paper liners.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just combined.
- Divide the batter into three bowls: leave one plain, tint one with red gel food coloring, and the other with blue gel food coloring.
- Use three spoons to drop spoonfuls of each colored batter into the cupcake liners in a triangle pattern until about two-thirds full.
- Swirl gently with a toothpick to combine slightly, being careful not to over-mix.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let them cool completely before frosting.
Notes
For best results, use gel food coloring to avoid altering the batter consistency. Cupcakes can be made a day in advance and frosted on the day of serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
