fourth of july SWIRLY confetti cupcakes

These swirly, twirly, confetti-topped cupcakes are even more wonderful homemade, bursting with Red, White & Blue layered fun for everyone! Bet you can’t eat just one!

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes:
1¾ cups cake flour
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¾ cups granulated sugar
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 egg whites (room temperature)
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
vibrant red and blue gel food coloring

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Red, White & Blue Star sprinkles, for decorating

SERVINGS: Makes 24 cupcakes

HOW I MADE IT:

Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 24 paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt, and mix together on low speed for 1 minute. With the mixer on low, add the butter, a small amount at a time, continuing until all the butter has been added and the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Keeping the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions. Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and mix until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, until batter is smooth, scraping the sides of bowl as needed.

Separate the batter into three equal portions. Add 1 teaspoon vibrant red gel food coloring to one bowl, using a rubber spatula to gently combine. Add 1 teaspoon vibrant blue gel food coloring to another batter batch, using a rubber spatula to gently combine.

This is the part that takes some time and patience. Starting with the blue batter, use a tablespoon to add one tablespoon of blue batter to each cupcake liner – don’t spread it, allow it to slowly fill the bottom of the cupcake liner on its own.

Using another clean spoon, slowly pour a tablespoon of white batter into the center of each cupcake liner on top of the blue cupcake batter – again, allow it to flow out gently on its own, don’t mix.

Using another clean spoon, slowly pour a tablespoon of red batter into the center of each cupcake liner, allowing it to spread out gently on its own. Don’t mix with a knife or spoon!

Add another layer of blue, another layer of white, and a final teaspoon or so of red batter to each cupcake liner or until each liner is two-thirds full of batter.

Bake for 15-17 minutes, until the centers are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool COMPLETELY before frosting.

Make the Frosting: Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scrapping the bowl periodically. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla, mixing until well blended. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

Frost the cupcakes and garnish with sprinkles.

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