Red White and Blue Chocolate Cupcakes
These red, white, and blue chocolate cupcakes are tiny little fireworks with frosting on top.
The base is a dark chocolate cupcake, and the top gets a red, white, and blue buttercream swirl with star sprinkles.
The contrast is the fun part.
Deep chocolate underneath, bright buttercream on top, and just enough sprinkle drama to make them feel like party food.
They fit 4th of July cookouts, Memorial Day dessert tables, summer birthdays, and any tray that needs something a little louder than plain chocolate.
For a full spread, set them near 4th of July Strawberry Lemonade, 4th of July Blue Curacao Mocktail, and Patriotic Charcuterie Board.
The frosting looks bakery cute, but the piping bag is doing most of the work.
A tiny miracle, honestly.
Cupcake Ingredients
The cupcake batter is a simple chocolate batter and the buttercream gets split into three colors.
How To Make Red, White & Blue Chocolate Cupcakes
1. Mix the dry ingredients
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Finish the batter
Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla, then mix until the batter starts to come together.
Stir in the hot water until the batter looks smooth and thin.
3. Bake the cupcakes
Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full and bake until the tops spring back lightly.
Let the cupcakes cool fully on a rack before frosting, because warm cupcakes and buttercream are not friends.
4. Make the buttercream
Beat the softened butter until creamy, then add powdered sugar and heavy cream and beat until the frosting looks fluffy.
Divide the buttercream into three bowls, tint one red, tint one blue, and leave one white.
5. Pipe the swirl
Load the three frosting colors into one piping bag so the colors sit side by side.
Pipe a tall swirl onto each cooled cupcake, then add star sprinkles before the frosting crusts over.
Frosting Swirl Notes
The swirl works best when the frosting colors sit beside each other in the piping bag, not fully mixed together.
If the frosting feels soft, chill the bag for a few minutes before piping.
How To Store Them
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for a few hours or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Bring chilled cupcakes closer to room temperature before serving so the buttercream softens a bit.
Serving Mood
These cupcakes look great on a cake stand or white platter because the frosting colors do all the talking.
They are rich enough to feel like dessert, but small enough that people still pretend they are just having one.
Cupcake Questions
Can I use boxed cake mix?
Yes, use baked and cooled chocolate cupcakes, then follow the frosting steps.
Why is the batter thin?
The hot water loosens the cocoa batter, so thin batter is expected here.
Can I make the cupcakes ahead?
Yes, bake the cupcakes a day ahead and frost them after they cool.
Red White and Blue Chocolate Cupcakes
These red white and blue chocolate cupcakes have a rich chocolate base with patriotic buttercream swirls and star sprinkles. They are a festive cupcake for 4th of July parties, summer birthdays, and cookout dessert trays.
- Total Time53 minutes
- Yield12 cupcakes 1x
- DietVegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour.
- 1 cup granulated sugar.
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder.
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- 1 large egg.
- 1/2 cup milk.
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- 1/2 cup hot water.
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened.
- 4 cups powdered sugar.
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream.
- Red gel food coloring.
- Blue gel food coloring.
- White star sprinkles.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Add the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Stir in the hot water until the batter is smooth and thin.
- Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, then cool the cupcakes completely.
- Beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Add powdered sugar and heavy cream and beat until fluffy.
- Divide the buttercream into three portions and tint one red, one blue, and leave one white.
- Load the three colors into a piping bag and pipe swirls onto the cooled cupcakes.
- Add white star sprinkles before serving.
Equipment
Buy Now ā Notes
Cool the cupcakes fully before frosting or the buttercream will soften and slide. The batter is meant to look thin after the hot water goes in, so do not thicken it with extra flour. For the swirl, keep the red, white, and blue frosting side by side in the piping bag instead of mixing them together.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
