Patriotic Funfetti Cupcakes Recipe
Sweet vanilla flavor and light almond notes make Patriotic Funfetti Cupcakes a festive favorite for the 4th of July, complete with red and blue swirls and a smooth layer of frosting.
Servings: 12
Calories: 540kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter room temperature
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- red and blue food coloring
- 1/2 cup red, white and blue jimmies
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 3 1/2-4 cups powdered sugar
- 16 Tbsp (2 sticks) butter room temperature
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt to taste
- red and blue sprinkles and stars on top of the frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Line one standard cupcake pan with liners, and set aside. Line the bottom of one standard-sized loaf pan with parchment paper, then lightly coat it with baking spray and flour. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, and almond extract. With the mixing speed on low, add the egg, and then the egg yolk, mixing until just combined.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a glass measuring cup, mix together the sour cream and milk. With the mixing speed on low, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients, mixing until the batter is smooth and homogeneous (being careful not to overmix).
- Remove the bowl from the stand. Portion out ¾ cup of batter into one small mixing bowl and ¾ cup of batter into another. Dye one portion red and the other blue. Add the red batter into one side of the loaf pan and the blue batter into the other side of the loaf pan. Swirl the red and blue batter together gently (be careful not to overmix, or the colors will blend into purple). If you would prefer to just use one color for the star, you can do that with 1 1/2 cups of batter. Bake for 15–18 minutes or until the cake is set.
- Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the pan and cut out star shapes (use a small star cutter, about 1″ in diameter and ½″–¾″ thick, so it fits neatly into the cupcake liner with enough space for the batter to bake around it).
- After the stars have been cut out, add the jimmies to the remaining cupcake batter. Stir them in slowly and don't overmix them so that the colors don't bleed throughout the batter.
- Place a little batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner and then set in the stars and add the batter on top of the stars making sure to evenly place the batter into all lines.
- Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, checking for doneness at the 16-minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the cake (avoiding the star center); if it comes out clean, they're done. Let the cupcakes cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting: Place the softened butter in a medium mixing bowl. Using a stand or hand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip on medium speed for around 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Pause the mixer and add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Start mixing on low for about a minute to combine, then switch to high speed and beat for another 3–4 minutes until the frosting is airy and smooth. If it’s too runny, add more sugar; if it’s too thick, mix in a little more cream. To balance excessive sweetness, stir in a pinch of salt (I typically use 1/4 teaspoon).
- After the cupcakes have cooled, frost the cupcakes and then add your favorite patriotic sprinkles.
Notes
-I made my stars tie-dyed, though a single color like red or blue might stand out more clearly.
STORE leftover Patriotic Cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate them for up to 5 days to keep the frosting firm. If you’d like to make them ahead of time, FREEZE unfrosted cupcakes in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Let them thaw at room temperature, then frost and serve. To REHEAT, microwave an unfrosted cupcake for about 10 seconds to refresh the texture before topping.
Nutrition
Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 59g | Vitamin A: 832IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
