Red White and Blue Cupcakes are such a fun and easy treat! These cupcakes are perfect for the 4^th of July or Memorial Day!

close up of red white and blue cupcakes — Love how fun and easy these cupcakes are!

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Recently I shared my 4^th of July Cake, my Firecracker Cake, this chocolate chip pie, and this fun Red White and Blue Cheesecake Salad, but I knew I needed to share this super easy patriotic cupcake.

With just 3 colors of frosting and a few sprinkles you can create a super fun cupcake ready for any celebration!

What you need:

Box of White Cake Mix
Additional Cake Mix Ingredients: Vegetable Oil, Sour Cream, Heavy Creamy, Egg Whites
M&Ms: Red, White, and Blue colored. I add these to the batter for extra fun, but they are optional
Frosting: Powdered Sugar, Vanilla, Heavy Cream, Gel Food Coloring (Red and Blue)
Star Sprinkles
Equipment: Large Round Icing Tip (Wilton 1A- optional), Piping Bags (affiliate links)

cupcake ingredients — With just a few ingredients you can make these cupcakes!

frosting ingredients — My frosting recipe is so simple!

fork cutting through cupcake on plate — I love the extra addition of M&Ms in the batter!

Why use boxed cake mix?

Boxed cake mix is such an easy way to start this recipe. I love to doctor the mix by adding sour cream, heavy cream, and extra egg whites and with these additions you won’t believe how good this cake is!

How to make Red White and Blue Cupcakes?

Mix together the oil, vanilla, sour cream, heavy cream, and egg whites. Then stir in the white cake mix and M&Ms.

mixed cake batter — This cake batter comes together quick!

cupcake batter with M&Ms mixed in — Adding M&Ms takes these to the next level!

Pour into lined cupcake tin and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Only fill your cupcake liners ¾ full for uniform, rounded cupcakes that don’t spill over!
Once done baking, allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

cupcake batter in liners before baking — Try not to overfill for uniform cupcakes!

baked cupcakes — M&Ms add a fun pop of color!

How to make the red white and blue frosting?

Whip your butter on high until light and fluffy. Then mix in the vanilla and salt.
Add the heavy cream (1-2 tbs at a time) and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time), alternating between the two, mixing on medium/low.
Once everything is incorporated turn the mixer to med/high and mix for 30 seconds to had volume.
Divide frosting into 3 bowls, mix in blue coloring to one, red to another, and leave the third white.

sprinkles, piping bag and tip, and color gel — I recommend using gel food coloring!

red white and blue frosting — Gel makes vibrant colors!

vanilla buttercream on paddle — This frosting so so delicious!

How to Decorate the cupcakes?

Place your piping tip in the bags and then put one color of frosting to each bag. Or just cut the tip off the end of the piping bag.
Layer the colors any way you like!
Add stars and sprinkles then enjoy!

cupcake with layers of frositing added — Sometimes I do only 3 layers but I really like the look of 4!

adding sprinkles to cupcakes — Love adding star sprinkles!

Pro Tip: You can just cut the end off a piping bag or ziploc baggie to pipe the frosting. I cut 1 ½ inches off a piping bag so I didn't have to use piping tips! (Cut less off a ziploc baggie since the corner isn't as long as a piping bag!)

Variations of Red White and Blue Cupcakes:

Batter: Try coloring the cupcake batter and layering it with blue on the bottom, white in the middle, and red on top, then baking!

Sprinkles: Instead of coloring the frosting just add a bunch of fun red, white, and blue sprinkles.

holding a 4th of july cupcake — Do you like 3 or 4 frosting layers?

Can you make these cupcakes ahead of time?

Yep! Make these cupcakes 1-2 days in advance.

How to store cupcakes?

Store in the refrigerator, ideally in an air tight container to keep unwanted food odors from being absorbed.

If you like this recipe, make sure to check out my 4^th of July cookies, candied bacon, mandarin orange salad, buffalo wing dip, candied bacon or jalapenos, and these tasty wagyu burgers for more party ready foods!

red white and blue cupcakes pinterest image — Don't forget to pin this recipe!

Watch how to make this recipe!

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Red White and Blue Cupcakes

Author: Lisa

Red White and Blue Cupcakes are such a fun and easy treat! These cupcakes are perfect for the 4th of July or Memorial Day!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 14

Decorating Time 10

Total Time 34

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings cupcakes

Equipment

3 Large Round Icing Tip Wilton 1A* (optional)
3 Icing Piping Bags

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 box of white cake mix
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tbs vanilla
¾ cup sour cream
¾ cup heavy cream
4 egg whites
¾ cup M&Ms red, white, and blue optional

Red White and Blue Frosting

2 cups Unsalted Butter slightly softened*
½ teaspoon salt
2 tbs vanilla I like to use clear vanilla for this recipe
10 cups powdered sugar
10 tbs heavy cream ½ cup plus 2 tbs
1 teaspoon Red Food Coloring I like to use gel
½ teaspoon Blue Food Coloring I like to use gel
Star Sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Mix together, either by hand or in a stand mixer, the oil, vanilla, sour cream, heavy cream and eggs. Then mix in the boxed cake mix and M&Ms.
1 box of white cake mix, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 tbs vanilla, ¾ cup sour cream, ¾ cup heavy cream, 4 egg whites, ¾ cup M&Ms
Scoop the batter into your cupcake liners ¾ full, I like using a measuring cup.
Bake for 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Red White and Blue Frosting

In a stand mixer, whip your butter on medium high speed until the butter is light and fluffy. Then mix in the vanilla and salt.
2 cups Unsalted Butter, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tbs vanilla
Alternating between 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tbs heavy cream, mix each in until fully incorporated. I recommend mixing this on medium low, then once all heavy cream and powdered sugar is add, turn the mixer on medium/high and whip for 30 seconds to add volume.
10 tbs heavy cream, 10 cups powdered sugar
Divide frosting into three separate bowls. Fold in red food coloring to one bowl, blue to another, and leave the third white.
1 teaspoon Red Food Coloring, ½ teaspoon Blue Food Coloring
Place your piping tips in the piping bags (or cut the corner off a piping bag*), then add each color frosting to its own bag. Pipe on the frosting in a circle, then repeat with the other colors. I like to alternate the colors then add sprinkles and stars.
Star Sprinkles

Notes

Tips and Tricks

*If you need to soften your butter fast, place it on a microwave safe dish in the microwave, turn your microwave to 30% power and microwave for 15 second intervals until soft.
*If the frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar, 1 tbs at a time, to thicken it. If it’s too thick add more heavy cream, 1 tbs at a time until it’s at your desired consistency.
*Instead of dealing with 3 of the same piping tips I just cut 1 ½ inch off of 3 separate piping bags.

Nutrition

Calories: 553kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 2gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 220mgPotassium: 52mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 63gVitamin A: 733IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 1mg

Keyword 4th of July Cupcakes, red white and blue cupcakes

Did you make this recipe?Tag me on Instagram at @atablefullofjoy

This post was updated on 3/27/2023. Originally it was white cupcakes filled with M&Ms and topped with stabilized whipped cream and sprinkles.