DIY for the 4th of July: Flag Cupcakes!

Many of us grew up celebrating Independence Day with the same dessert every year: the flag cake! Topped with white frosting and decorated with blueberries and sliced strawberries, it’s perfectly patriotic — and this year, we decided to put our own spin on it.

 

Inspired by our cupcake mixes, we assembled a flag that has double the color and flavor. We used coconut, red velvet and chocolate mixes for the cupcakes, topped them with white frosting, and arranged fresh raspberries, blueberries on top and coconut flakes on top. There’s something for everyone in this delicious display — but you can also skip the flag and bake the cupcakes on their own, too.

 

Try it yourself with the recipe below. Happy 4th!

 

 

Fourth of July Cupcake Flag

 

Each mix yields 12 cupcakes; you won’t use all of them to create the flag, so serve the extras on the side. The frosting recipe makes enough to frost about 60 cupcakes, so you’ll have additional frosting for topping the extras.

 

2 packages coconut cupcake mix

2 packages red velvet cupcake mix

1 package chocolate cupcake mix

 

For the cream cheese frosting:

24 oz. cream cheese

24 Tbs. (3 sticks) unsalted butter

5 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Coconut flakes for decorating

Raspberries for decorating

Blueberries for decorating

 

Using the cupcake mixes, prepare the cupcake batter and bake the cupcakes according to the package instructions. Let cool completely.

 

To make the cream cheese frosting, have all the ingredients at room temperature.

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and beat for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth and no lumps of sugar are visible. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.

 

Frost the cooled cupcakes. Top 23 of the coconut cupcakes with coconut flakes, 19 of the red velvet cupcakes with raspberries and 12 of the chocolate cupcakes with blueberries. Arrange the cupcakes so they form a flag pattern. Serves 60.