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Fireworks Cupcakes

Fireworks cupcakes are easy patriotic cupcakes with tall swirled vanilla buttercream peaks and star sprinkle “fireworks” decoration. Bake fluffy vanilla cupcakes, then pipe a dramatic tri-color red-white-blue buttercream swirl topped with sparkler picks.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cupcakes
  • 1 box white or vanilla cake mix, plus ingredients on box Use the eggs, oil, and water called for on the package.
Buttercream
  • 1 lb unsalted butter Soften to room temperature for best whipping.
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3.5 tbsp heavy cream Start at 3 tbsp and add up to 4 tbsp as needed for piping consistency.
  • 1 red and blue gel food coloring Use separate red and blue gel colors.
  • 1 red, white, and blue star sprinkles
  • 24 sparkler picks or flag picks for decoration Use one pick per cupcake.

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the cupcakes
  1. Heat oven to the temperature on the cake mix box and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Bake cupcakes according to package directions, then cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the vanilla buttercream
  1. Using a stand mixer, beat softened unsalted butter until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in vanilla extract and heavy cream.
  2. Beat the buttercream on high for 3 minutes until very light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed so the texture is smooth for piping.
Color, pipe, and decorate
  1. Divide the buttercream into three portions, leaving one white and coloring one red and one blue with gel food coloring. Stir each portion until evenly tinted with no streaks.
  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 tip clean so the red-white-blue bands stay distinct.
  3. Pipe a tall swirled peak of frosting onto each cooled cupcake. Pull straight up to form the dramatic “firework” tower.
  4. Shower each cupcake with red, white, and blue star sprinkles so they cascade down the peak. Insert a sparkler pick into the center while the frosting is fresh, then serve.

Notes

Pro tip: pipe only onto fully cooled cupcakes—warm cupcakes will soften the swirl and make sprinkles slide. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator up to 3 days; for best texture, let them sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes before serving. Freezing is not recommended once decorated. For a gluten-free swap, use a gluten-free vanilla or white cake mix and follow its baking directions.