How to Make 4th of July Cupcakes

Celebrate Independence Day with these adorable -- and delicious -- stars and stripes cupcakes.

Step 1: Bake vanilla cupcakes Bake cupcakes according to your favorite recipe or with a cake mix.
Step 2: Make vanilla frosting While the cupcakes are cooling, combine the sugar, butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl; then add the milk. Beat until very well blended and fluffy, adding more milk if necessary.
Step 3: Color the frosting Divide the frosting in half, and add a few drops of red food coloring to one batch. Keep adding coloring until you get the desired shade.
Step 4: Pipe on the frosting Pipe alternating stripes of red and white frosting on the cupcakes, once they have cooled completely.
TIP: As an alternative, ice the cupcakes in white frosting and pipe on the red stripes.
Step 5: Cut stars Roll out ready-to-use blue rolled fondant and, using a mini star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out stars. Center one on each cupcake. Enjoy your patriotic treats!
FACT: A popular dessert in colonial Massachusetts was Marlborough pudding, a precursor to apple pie, which had a custard-like filling made from applesauce, eggs, butter, and lemon juice.