4th of July Cupcakes

Happy 4th of July! I had an amazing time at the Venice Canals downwind regatta (we placed 4th out of 12) and at my friend’s BBQ. To celebrate our country’s freedom, I made some cupcakes.

These cupcakes are good to make because you can just dye the frosting whichever color you need for the holiday you are celebrating.

 

Marble Cupcake – (adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes) – makes 32 cupcakes

• 3 1/2 c flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 c milk (room temp)
• 2/3 c heavy cream (room temp)
• 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 c sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 c boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin with liners.

In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl mix the milk and cream.

IN a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture.

Combine the cocoa and water in a medium bowl. Measure out 2 cups of the batter into the cocoa bowl and mix together.

Fill the cupcake liners with alternating spoonfuls of chocolate and vanilla batter.

Use a toothpick to make a figure 8 in the batter to get the swirls.

Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Pull the cupcakes out and let cool on racks.

Frosting – adapted from Wilton – makes about 5 cups

• 1 c vegetable shortening
• 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 8 c (2 lbs) confectioners sugar – sifted
• 4 tbsp milk
• red gel food coloring
• blue gel food coloring

Beat the shortening and butter until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in sugar. Add the milk.

Split the frosting into 3 bowls. Dye one bowl red, and one bowl blue.

Place the red, white, and blue frostings into 3 separate small piping bags.

Place all the piping bags into 1 larger piping bag with a star tip on it.

Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Decorate with star sprinkles, then eat!

Advertisements