No matter the occasion, we can all agree: No celebration is truly complete without cupcakes. And when you have a table full of festive cupcakes at your 4th of July celebration, you know your party is ready to get started. The bite-size dessert is way easier to serve than cake, and can be made in so many different flavors with all kinds of fun, patriotic toppings. So gather up your favorite sparklers, red, white, and blue sprinkles, and plenty of red and blue fruits for topping all your cupcakes this 4th of July. Warning: These recipes are so good, they just might upstage your fireworks display.
We've got all the recipes here to keep your party guests satisfied, from fruity dole whip cupcakes to tropical coconut cream cupcakes to pickle cupcakes (don't knock it 'til you try it!). TBH, we just might have to revolt if there aren't any Boston cream cupcakes around... or red velvet cupcakes... or cheesecake-stuffed cupcakes (yes, you read that right). Okay—we've got a lot of cupcakes worth celebrating this holiday.
Feel like getting creative? Take inspiration from our flag cake, and decorate our classic vanilla cupcakes with blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries to imitate iconic stars and stripes. Or make our pull-apart watermelon cupcakes for an eye-catching display that—if you're not careful—will be gone before the sparklers even come out.
Looking for more holiday fun? Try the rest of our 4th of July dessert ideas, especially our best patriotic cakes. Need something to wash down all these rich desserts? Your party isn't complete without a round of our 4th of July cocktails, including colorful, refreshing, and festive Jell-O shots.
Pavlova Cupcakes With Raspberry Sauce
Pavlovas have a crispy exterior with a soft, marshmallow-like interior, and these mini ones made into cupcakes are the perfect way to serve them to guests. Dollop with a little whipped cream and raspberry sauce for the perfect bite.
Coconut Cream Cupcakes
Inspired by the beloved coconut cream pie, these stuffed cupcakes have all the classic components of the original dessert, sans pie crust. You won't miss it though, because in its place are our soft and fluffy vanilla cupcakes. 😍
Get the Coconut Cream Cupcakes recipe.
Bahama Mama Cupcakes
One pineapple-and-rum-laced bite, and you'll feel like you've had the beach vacation of your dreams. Enjoy a Bahama Mama cupcake in one hand and Margarita cupcake in the other!
Get the Bahama Mama Cupcakes recipe.
S'mores Cupcakes
Fact: S'mores are the best; there's no denying it. And now you can have everything you love about s'mores—buttery graham crackers, melty chocolate, and toasted marshmallow—in a cupcake!
Get the S'mores Cupcakes recipe.
Pull-Apart Watermelon Cupcakes
This recipe is super-fun to make—you just need some decorating patience to get it to look like a watermelon. Trust us, it's worth it. Your friends will be shocked when they realize there are actually cupcakes under all that frosting!
Boston Cream Cupcakes
It's so easy to turn chocolatey, custard-filled Boston cream pie into other fun desserts, like this insane Boston cream pie lasagna or our Boston cream cheesecake. These cupcakes are just as delicious as the classic pie and so fun to make.
Get the Boston Creme Cupcakes recipe.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
The best part about these is the cream cheese and mascarpone frosting. As with most baked goods, room temperature ingredients will go a long way. Set your eggs and buttermilk on the counter before you preheat your oven to ensure your batter comes together nicely.
Get the Red Velvet Cupcakes recipe.
Ice Cream Stuffed Cupcakes
We can't stop stuffing cupcakes with all our favorite fillings, and ice cream had to be next on our list. The flavor combos are truly endless here: Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla ice cream is classic, but we can't wait to stuff some red velvet cupcakes with red velvet ice cream.
Get the Ice Cream Stuffed Cupcakes recipe.
Cheesecake Cupcakes
Who doesn't love an ultra-creamy slice of cheesecake? This mini version is super easy to make (no water bath!), but just as delicious as its full-size counterpart.
Get the Cheesecake Cupcakes recipe.
Moscow Mule Cupcakes
To make these cupcakes really feel like a Moscow mule in dessert form, we pour ginger beer straight into the cupcake batter—a hack that lets you skip the eggs, oil, and water that the boxed cake mix calls for, while packing in plenty of gingery flavor. Don't worry, we didn't forget the vodka—it's in the frosting!
Get the Moscow Mule Cupcakes recipe.
Cheesecake Stuffed Cupcakes
Never again will we have to choose between a cheesecake or a cupcake. Adding cubes of a frozen store-bought cheesecake makes stuffing these cupcakes before baking easy and impressive.
Dole Whip Cupcakes
Disney's Dole Whip has a cult following, and we get it. It's the most refreshing thing after waiting in insanely long lines all day. Enter the cupcake version, which might taste even better than the real thing.
Get the Dole Whip Cupcakes recipe.
Pickle Cupcakes
Pickle... cupcakes?! Nope, these aren't a joke! There's something about the sweet and savory combo here that just works.
Get the Pickle Cupcakes recipe.
Neapolitan Cupcakes
The classic ice cream flavor combination of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate is now in cupcake form. These are perfect for when you can't decide which flavor cupcake to make. Want more Neapolitan fun? Try our Neapolitan Bundt cake.
Get the Neapolitan Cupcakes recipe.
Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed Cupcakes
These strawberry cheesecake-stuffed cupcakes are lovely on the outside, and truly life-changing on the inside. A melon baller will help make filling them with the rich, tangy cheesecake filling a breeze.
Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
These cupcakes are where the fancy, high-quality Madagascar vanilla comes in handy. Cupcakes this perfect deserve our perfect vanilla buttercream recipe. Want to make them festive for the 4th?Decorate them with plenty of strawberries and blueberries.
Get the Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes recipe.
Margarita Cupcakes
This bright, zesty tequila-laced frosting tastes just like your favorite margarita. Add a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and a cut straw (obviously) for the cutest touch. Pro tip: When it comes to frosting cupcakes, most of the time we don’t fuss with piping tips. We simply put the frosting in a resealable plastic bag and snip off a big corner so we have a wide opening that’s super-easy to maneuver.
Get the Margarita Cupcakes recipe.
Banana Pudding Cupcakes
These banana pudding-stuffed cupcakes are truly bananas, especially when you top them off with homemade whipped cream.
Get the Banana Pudding Cupcakes recipe.
Cannoli Cupcakes
Let's be the real: The filling of the cannoli is the best part and that's why these cupcakes are so amazing. If you love stuffed cupcakes, then you really need to try these ice cream stuffed cupcakes.
Get the Cannoli Cupcakes recipe.
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Carrot cake is great. But carrot cake cupcakes? Even better. Every bite is filled with warm spice and sweet carrots and get topped with delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Get the Carrot Cake Cupcakes recipe.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine. If wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.
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