Easy Red, White, and Blue Patriotic Cupcakes

Colorful red, white, and blue cupcakes made with a white cake mix, vanilla frosting, and festive sprinkles. This simple recipe makes 24 party-ready cupcakes in approximately 1 hour, including cooling and decorating time.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 18

Total Time 1

Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 box (15.25 ounces) White cake mix
1 cup, or amount specified on package Water
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
3 large, or 3 whole eggs if specified by the mix Egg whites

Color and Decoration

as needed Red gel food coloring
as needed Blue gel food coloring

Frosting

1 container (16 ounces) Vanilla frosting
as needed Red, white, and blue sprinkles or patriotic decorations

Method

Step-by-Step

Heat the oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.
Prepare the white cake batter according to the package directions, using the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and the eggs specified on the box.
Divide the batter evenly among three bowls. Leave one bowl white, tint the second red with gel food coloring, and tint the third blue.
Spoon small amounts of all three colors into each liner, layering them or swirling them gently. Fill each liner no more than two-thirds full.
Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool the cupcakes in the pans for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack and cool completely.
Frost the completely cooled cupcakes with vanilla frosting and finish with red, white, and blue sprinkles or other patriotic decorations.

Notes

Use gel or paste food coloring for vivid colors without thinning the batter. Follow the specific cake-mix package for whether it calls for three egg whites or three whole eggs, and do not frost until the cupcakes are completely cool.