Mini 4th of July Cupcakes

Invited to a 4th of July party this year? Bring these easy and taste mini 4th of July cupcakes! Festive and delicious.

mini 4th of july cupcakes on a platter


 

Mini Cupcakes

In my humble opinion, mini cupcakes are perhaps the best dessert for potlucks, cookouts and parties. Perfect little 2-bite desserts that don’t require utensils or a plate.

Stable in varying temperatures, they don’t require specials dishes that need to be cleaned or returned.

close up of 4th of july cupcakes

And they are super verstile. Basic boxed cake mix hacks are used to make this white cake mix into a pop of 4th of July fireworks, complete with buttercream frosting.

Ingredients

The ingredients are pretty basic for cupcakes, but you might see one that usually isn’t included in boxed cake mix recipes…

ingredients for 4th of july cupcakes
  • White cake mix– make sure the mix is white and not yellow. Yellow cake mix will be yellow and the sprinkles will make green.
  • Egg whites– See below on how to use up those yolks!
  • Buttermilk– you heard right, folks. We are ditching the water and replacing it with tangy buttermilk for the moistess boxed cupcakes you ever did eat.
  • Clear vanilla– this isn’t a pure vanilla extract, it is man-made, but you need clear to be able to maintain the snowy white color. Use regular vanilla, but know there will be a little brown tinge.
  • Vegetable or canola oil– oil helps keeps these puppies moist.
  • Red and blue sprinkles- I like to use jimmies, the long sprinkles, but any type will do as long as they are patriotic and festive.
  • White frosting– Do yourself a favor and just grab a tub at the store. If you want to elevate it, put it in a piping bag and use a star tip to apply.
  • Decorations– Pick anything red, white and blue!
red and blue sprinkles

Egg Yolks

Now you have 4 egg yolks… what can you do with them? They can of course be scrambled eggs or an omelette, yolk only. Or you can make…

How to Make 4th of July Cupcakes

The process is easy! First, I strongly recommend sifting the dry cake mix before adding to wet ingredients. This reduces clumps and will also reduce the tendency to overmix, which leads to dry and crumbly cupcakes.

Next, mix with wet ingredients, but until until combined. Don’t just turn on the stand mixer and walk away.

cake batter in a stand mixer

By hand, fold in the sprinkles. Do not over mix or the colors will run. You can use the stand mixer, but literally only let it do 2-3 full turns.

Divide in the muffin tins, but only about 2/3 of the way.

red and blue sprinkles in white batter

Bake, keeping a watchful eye to not overbake.

Remove and allow to cool fully before frosting. Use a star tip for festive firework like frosting or a large circle for fluffy, billowing clouds.

red, white and blue 4th of july fireworks

Best Cupcake Tips:

ONE. Do not overmix the batter. The most commonly made mistake in making cupcakes is overworking the batter. This is actually made easier when you are using a stand mixer because we overestimate how long the batter has been beaten. Pay attention! 

A close up of 4th of july cupcakes

TWO. Don’t over bake your cupcakes! This might seem like it is super apparent, but many folks wait too long before taking the cake out of the oven and presto, dry cake. Whomp, whomp. They shouldn’t jiggle in the middle, but spring back when lightly touched. 

THREE. Don’t overfill the cupcake tins. Only fill them half to two thirds full. You want the mounds to peak over the top, but not bubble on over or being hiding below.

4th of july mini cupcakes for Pinterest

More 4th of July Desserts

Here are a few more red, white and blue desserts to get the party started!

overhead of cherry pie with stars

Red, White and Blue Cherry Pie

Red, White and Blue Cherry Pie is an easy cherry pie recipe using cookie icing, blueberries and cookie cutters to make a stunning and cute pie perfect for any patriotic holiday!
See The Recipe!
american flag sugar cookie cake

Super Simple American Flag Sugar Cookie Cake Recipe

Super Simple American Flag Sugar Cookie Cake is so simple, it will knock your socks off!
See The Recipe!
4th of july cupcakes for pinterest
A close up of 4th of july cupcakes

Mini 4th of July Cupcakes

5 from 8 votes
These mini cupcakes are dotted with red and blue fireworks and made with one secret ingredient to amp up any boxed cake mix.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 48

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and add cupcake liners to a mini cupcake pan.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, egg whites, buttermilk, vanilla and oil.
  • Mix until smooth, but do not overmix.
  • Fold in sprinkles carefully so colors don’t run. Do not overmix.
  • Evenly divide among lined cupcake wells.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
  • Cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Decorate with buttercream frosting, and add sprinkles or other decorations.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!

Notes

*Sift cake mix before adding to reduce clumps, cutting back on stirring and ensuring you have the most moist cupcakes ever!
**Eggs: You can also use whole eggs, the batter will be a little more yellow.
***You can use regular vanilla extract, but it will tint the batter brown. You can also omit the vanilla.

Nutrition

Calories: 105 kcal, Carbohydrates: 9 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 1 mg, Sodium: 84 mg, Potassium: 18 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 9 g, Vitamin A: 8 IU, Calcium: 29 mg, Iron: 1 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 105
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 4th of july cupcakes, 4th of july desserts, 4th of july food
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

5 from 8 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    These cupcakes are absolutely adorable, I love the distinct red white and blue colors! I’ll definitely be making these for multiple holidays this summer. Thanks for the recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    This Mini 4th of July Cupcakes looks delicious and fluffy!! will make it with the kiddos so they can decorate them. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    What a fun festive treat! We made it and really enjoyed our time together. Will definitely be making these again for a 4th of July party!

  4. 5 stars
    Funfetti for 4th of July! My kids love these cupcakes. They can never have enough sprinkles, lol! And, I love the way you decorated the tops. So colorful!

  5. 5 stars
    Could these fluffy cupcakes be any cuter?! Your piping and sprinkle design reminds me of little fireworks — I cannot wait to make these for 4th of July to share with family and friends!