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Red White and Blue Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Red White and Blue cupcakes with vanilla buttercream bake into a soft, fluffy tri-color design by alternating red, white, and blue batter. Finish with a creamy vanilla buttercream swirl and patriotic sprinkles for a festive Fourth of July look.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cupcakes
  • 1 white cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup water
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 red gel food coloring
  • 1 blue gel food coloring
Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 red and blue sprinkles

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the tri-color cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  3. Prepare cake batter according to package directions.
  4. Divide the batter into three bowls.
  5. Leave one bowl uncolored (white), and color one bowl red gel and another bowl blue gel.
  6. Alternate spoonfuls of red, white, and blue batter into the cupcake liners.
  7. Fill each liner about two-thirds full.
  8. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18–20 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
Make and pipe vanilla buttercream
  1. Beat the softened unsalted butter until creamy.
  2. Add powdered sugar gradually and mix until smooth.
  3. Mix in the vanilla extract and heavy cream until the buttercream is thick and spreadable.
  4. Pipe buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.
  5. Decorate with red and blue sprinkles.
  6. Serve the cupcakes.

Notes

Pro tip: use gel food coloring for deeper red and blue without thinning the batter. Store unfrosted cupcakes covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge up to 4 days; frosted cupcakes stay fresh in the fridge up to 3 days. Freezing: yes—freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months, thaw overnight and frost after thawing. For a lighter option, use half the powdered sugar and add extra heavy cream a teaspoon at a time to keep the frosting pipeable (texture will be slightly softer).