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Fireworks Cupcakes

Fireworks cupcakes are fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with tall tri-color swirled buttercream peaks and red, white, and blue star sprinkles. Finish with sparkler picks for a dramatic firework-burst look that’s made for 4th of July cupcakes.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

white or vanilla cake mix, plus ingredients on box
  • 1 box white or vanilla cake mix, plus ingredients on box
buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3.5 tbsp heavy cream use 3–4 tbsp as needed for a pipeable texture
  • 1 red and blue gel food coloring to tint portions red and blue
  • 1 red, white, and blue star sprinkles
  • 24 sparkler picks or flag picks for decoration insert into the center of each cupcake

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Bake and cool the cupcakes
  1. Bake the cupcakes according to package directions in lined muffin tins. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Make the tri-color buttercream
  1. Beat the softened unsalted butter until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla extract and heavy cream.
  2. Beat on high for 3 minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed. Stop and check that the frosting holds soft peaks for piping.
  3. Divide the buttercream into three portions, leaving one white. Color one portion red and one portion blue using gel food coloring.
Pipe and decorate
  1. Load a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the three colors side by side for a tri-color swirl. Make sure the colors stay distinct as you fill the bag.
  2. Pipe a tall swirled peak of frosting onto each cooled cupcake. Apply steady pressure and pull upward to form a dramatic tip.
  3. Shower each cupcake with red, white, and blue star sprinkles. Insert a sparkler pick into the center and serve immediately.

Notes

For the tallest fireworks look, only frost once the cupcakes are fully cool so the buttercream doesn’t melt or slide. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months; thaw and frost fresh. For a lighter option, use light butter (or a butter alternative) and reduce powdered sugar slightly to keep the frosting pipeable while cutting calories.