Instructions

• 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.

You Will Need

• Cake recipe or mix
• Box of confectioners' sugar
• 1 stick unsalted
• room temperature butter
• 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 tsp. milk
• Red food coloring
• Blue rolled fondant
• Cupcake baking pans
• Cupcake liners
• Electric mixer
• Pastry bags and piping tips
• Star-shaped cookie cutter