Star Spangled Cupcakes Recipes

STAR-SPANGLED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Use the star tip that comes on the Betty Crocker™ Cupcake Icing can to frost each cupcake. If desired, smooth top with offset spatula.
• Arrange 8 blue gems in upper left area of cupcake to create field of stars. Starting at top, place 3 red gems in a row, second row 4 red gems, third row 7 red gems and bottom row 5 red gems to create stripes. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

STARS AND STRIPES CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.
• Make the cupcakes: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the granulated sugar and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Beat in the melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Reduce the mixer to low speed; beat in half of the flour mixture, the milk, then the remaining flour mixture until smooth.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth, then beat in the vanilla and raspberry extracts. Beat in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until creamy. Transfer half of the frosting to a separate bowl and tint red with food coloring. Put the white and red frosting in separate zip-top bags; snip a corner of each. Snip a corner of a larger zip-top bag; put both frosting bags in the larger bag and twist so that they pipe out of the snipped corner. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
• Make the candy stars: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Microwave the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl in 45-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Transfer to a small zip-top bag and snip a small corner. Pipe twelve 2- to 3-inch stars onto the parchment, piping double or triple lines for stability. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift the stars from the parchment and insert into the frosting on each cupcake.

STAR-STUDDED CELEBRATION CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, melt sweet baking chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently. Place waxed paper on cookie sheet. Spread melted chocolate in 8-inch square on waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Remove chocolate from refrigerator; let stand until room temperature. Cut with cookie cutters of desired shapes and sizes. Refrigerate until ready to place on cupcakes. Carefully peel cutouts from waxed paper, handling as little as possible. Dip half of each cutout into melted white baking chocolate; refrigerate until set.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 36 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In large bowl, beat all remaining ingredients except frosting with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling each 1/2 full.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Spread with frosting. Garnish with chocolate cutouts.

STAR-SPANGLED STACKERMALLOW TREATS

Steps:

• Decorate marshmallows with icings and white sprinkles to resemble American flags.
• Spoon frosting into medium bowl. Add COOL WHIP; whisk until blended.
• Spread COOL WHIP mixture onto cupcakes; top with colored sugar and marshmallows.

STAR SPANGLED CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter,flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. Or, I like to use parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.
• Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.
• For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.
• Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and strawberries for the red stripes, and icing for the white stripes, until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.
• You can serve this cake right in the pan, or, if you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.