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Perfect Red White and Blue Cupcakes with Easy Buttercream Star Swirls

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These festive cupcakes feature a tender vanilla base topped with vibrant red, white, and blue buttercream star swirls, perfect for patriotic celebrations like the Fourth of July.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
  • Red gel food coloring, a few drops
  • Blue gel food coloring, a few drops
  • 3 cups (375g) powdered sugar
  • 1 cup (225g) butter, softened (for buttercream)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (for buttercream)
  • 2–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk (for buttercream)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  5. Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined; do not overmix.
  6. Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cupcakes should spring back lightly when touched.
  8. Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  9. To prepare the buttercream, beat softened butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
  10. Add vanilla extract and heavy cream or milk to reach piping consistency. Beat for an additional 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  11. Divide the buttercream into three bowls. Tint one with red gel food coloring, one with blue, and leave one plain white.
  12. On a piece of plastic wrap, spread stripes of red, white, and blue buttercream side by side. Wrap the plastic around the inside of a piping bag fitted with a star tip, pressing colors together to form a tri-color swirl.
  13. Pipe generous star swirls onto each cupcake, swirling from the outside in.
  14. Optionally, sprinkle edible silver stars or glitter for extra sparkle.
  15. Store cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container if serving within 1 day, or refrigerate for longer storage.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to keep cupcakes tender. Use gel food coloring to maintain frosting consistency and vibrant colors. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting. If buttercream is too stiff, add milk a teaspoon at a time; if too soft, chill briefly in the fridge.

Nutrition

Keywords: red white and blue cupcakes, buttercream star swirls, patriotic cupcakes, Fourth of July dessert, vanilla cupcakes, festive cupcakes

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/perfect-red-white-and-blue-cupcakes-with-easy-buttercream-star-swirls-tutorial/