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This 4th of July cupcakes recipe is SO fun! Each bite of these fireworks piñata cupcakes has a surprise inside – sprinkles! All you need for these gorgeous cupcakes is a cake mix, frosting, and some sprinkles or you can make them from scratch – your choice!
My firecracker cupcakes never miss out on our July 4th celebrations. Piñata Cupcakes look complicated, but they’re actually so easy to assemble and they’re the perfect cupcake for the Fourth of July!
This cupcake recipe starts with a cake mix or your favorite recipe and finishes with some 4th of July sprinkles to bring it all together. Your Independence Day celebration will be so much more delicious with this recipe (plus it works for Christmas or Valentine’s Day!)
How to make 4th of July Cupcakes
- Cupcakes: use any boxed cake mix of your choice or yellow cupcakes baked and cooled
- Frosting: I’m using Vanilla Butter Cream or you can use store-bought
- Sprinkles: I’m using the three colors red, white, and blue to fit the 4th of July theme
- Variations: Use chocolate cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes, or your favorite flavor – from scratch or a box mix. You can also use your favorite flavor frosting.
Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.
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Storing Cupcakes
Store cupcakes loosely covered in the refrigerator. You can make cupcakes ahead of time and store them and the frosting separately in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Freeze frosted cupcakes loosely covered.
Expert Tips
- You can make your own frosting by making cream cheese frosting or vanilla buttercream.
- Patriotic cupcakes are easy to make with any flavor cupcake or frosting. You can also use any kind of sprinkles but Jimmies are easier to clean up than nonpareils.
Fireworks Surprise Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 24 yellow cupcakes, baked and cooled (or use a box mix)
- 2 cans vanilla frosting, or from scratch
- 1 cup red, white, and blue sprinkles
Instructions
- Bake and cool cupcakes according to package directions.
- Gently slice a round circle from the middle of the cupcake, taking out part of of the cupcake. Fill the hole with sprinkles and replace part of the piece you took out.
- Frost cupcake and top with more sprinkles.
- Store loosely covered in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Step-by-Step Photos
- Bake cupcakes in cupcake liners according to recipe or package directions and let them cool down to room temperature.
- Slice a round circle from the middle of the cupcake and gently remove the piece you cut to set it aside.
- Fill the hole you made with sprinkles. I used cute red, white, and blue patriotic sprinkles in mine. Then place the part you cut out back in the hole.
- Frost the cupcake and top it with more sprinkles. If you want to make a swirled frosting, use red and blue gel food coloring to tint the frosting. I use a piping bag with a 1M open star tip.
These will be so fun (and messy) to make with the boys for the 4th!
These are so fun!
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