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Fireworks Cupcakes

Fireworks cupcakes are fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with tall tri-color swirled buttercream peaks. Finished with red and blue star sprinkles and sparkler picks for a dramatic 4th of July firework look.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

White or vanilla cake mix
  • 1 box white or vanilla cake mix, plus ingredients on box Use the amounts listed on the box for eggs, water, and oil/butter.
For the buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter Soften at room temperature before mixing.
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp heavy cream Start at 3 tbsp and add 1 tbsp more only if needed for pipeable texture.
  • 1 red and blue gel food coloring You’ll need red and blue colors to create the tri-color swirl.
  • 1 red, white, and blue star sprinkles
  • 24 sparkler picks or flag picks for decoration Use one per cupcake.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and cool
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F, then bake cupcakes according to package directions in lined muffin tins. Cool completely on a wire rack so the frosting won’t melt.
  2. Let the cupcakes cool fully before frosting, aiming for room temperature. This prevents buttercream from sliding off the tops.
Make vanilla buttercream
  1. Beat softened butter until fluffy. Then gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 3 tbsp heavy cream while mixing.
  2. Beat on high for 3 minutes until very light and fluffy. If the frosting feels too stiff for piping, beat in 1 more tbsp heavy cream.
Color, pipe, and decorate
  1. Divide buttercream into three portions, leaving one white and coloring one red and one blue with gel food coloring. Mix each portion just until the color is even.
  2. Load a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with all three colors side by side for a tri-color swirl. Keep the bag oriented so the colors stay layered as you pipe.
  3. Pipe a tall swirled peak of frosting onto each cooled cupcake. Apply steady pressure and pull straight up to form the dramatic peak.
  4. Shower each cupcake with red, white, and blue star sprinkles. Immediately insert a sparkler pick into the center so it stands upright like a firework.
  5. Serve right away for the best presentation of the sparkler pick and crisp sprinkle coverage. Store cupcakes for later only after frosting is set.

Notes

Pro tip: For the tallest “firework burst” peaks, pipe straight up in one smooth motion and keep cupcakes fully room temperature before frosting. Refrigerate cupcakes in an airtight container up to 3 days; the sprinkles may soften slightly. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost fresh—freeze frosted cupcakes only if needed.