Patriotic Cupcakes

Enjoy these festive Patriotic Cupcakes for your summertime gatherings! You’ll love the surprise inside, a dollop of jam, to add flavor and color to these red white and blue cupcakes!

Fourth of July is a time near and dear to the heart of my childhood. It was the one time of year where I was permitted to play with fire. Our family didn’t have the money for return trips to the fireworks stands and I was the youngest of four which meant only a few firecrackers for me.

So sometimes after our fireworks were spent, I was content just to walk around with the punk, the soft sticks they give out for free at firework stands. “Punk” was also a term of endearment bestowed upon me by my older siblings.  Me and my punk — two of a kind, bringing a slow-burning light to the world.

That’s how we celebrated Fourth of July in a small town of less than a thousand people in a somewhat rural area of Missouri. I don’t live in that same small town and I no longer hang around with punks.

Now, I find new ways to celebrate the origins of our country and it doesn’t usually begin with a trip to a firework tent. Instead I head up to the grocery store; followed by a few repeat trips when I realize more ingredients are needed.

The thrill I seek today is a burst of flavor; delighting the senses in a more savory (or sweet) manner.

We continue to gather with family each year to celebrate this time-honored tradition but my goal for the day is usually to fix the best bowl of vegan potato salad that I can or to create some new, spectacular dessert to dazzle my little vegan family – my hubby and my daughter.

This year I decided to make Fourth of July Cupcakes. What could be better than 4th of July cupcakes!

Of course, you don’t have to wait until 4th of July, these would also be great Memorial Day Cupcakes too!

Key Ingredients for Vegan Cupcakes

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time!

• All-purpose flour + Cornstarch — I find that combining all-purpose flour with cornstarch creates a more delicate crumb for vegan cupcakes.
• Almond flour — I’ve added just a bit of almond flour to make these cupcakes extra moist and delicious!
• Baking soda + baking powder — Combining both baking soda and baking powder gives this recipe lift, which makes nice, tall cupcakes.
• Vegan butter — For the vegan butter, I used Earth Balance.
• Raspberry jam — You’ll add the dollop of raspberry jam over the cupcakes before baking and like magic, they’ll sink to the bottom while baking. That way, every cupcake will have a fun surprise in the middle!

How to Make Patriotic Cupcakes

I’ve found this process to work best for making these American cupcakes. The full steps are below, but here are some of tips to remember:

Tip #1: Combine the dry ingredients and whisk them together. This helps distribute things like baking soda, salt, etc, around.

Tip #2: Cream together the fat and sugar. This helps aerate the butter and creates a creamy base for the cupcake batter.

I used a stand mixer, but a hand-held mixer will work too. Just beat it until it’s light and fluffy.

Tip #3: Be sure to alternate flour and the plant-based milk mixture. This helps to not overmix the flour, helping to create those light and fluffy cupcakes we’re after!

Recipe Notes

Here are some recipe notes to help make it perfect every time:

• Be sure to use a timer to get the cupcakes cooked through. If you pull them out before they’re done, the tops may deflate and look a little flat. I set the timer for 20 minutes, but usually don’t pull them out until around 24 minutes. Every oven is different so I do recommend using a tester.
• If the tops of your cupcakes look flat, you can just add more frosting. (Small-town girl tip).
• If you don’t like raspberry jam, choose one of your favorites. I think this berry chia seed jam would be amazing!
• I love the vanilla frosting, but you could also do a vegan cream cheese frosting or even a vegan chocolate frosting for a change of pace.
• Looking for some fun 4th of July cupcake ideas for your toppings? You’ll see that I used raspberries and blueberries, but you could also do red white and blue sprinkles!

I found the explosion of flavor I was looking for by adding a spoonful of raspberry jam to the cupcakes before baking adding a nice, colorful touch to the cupcakes. The frosting is also flavored with a dairy- free hazelnut creamer, which is a nice touch.

What To Serve with this Recipe

These patriotic cupcakes are definitely geared up for all those Independence Day weekend parties. That means you’ll want to serve it with even more amazing vegan 4th of July recipes!

I hope you’ll agree when you try these patriotic cupcakes with just the right balance of crispiness on the outside, tender cake in the middle and raspberry goodness throughout.

You May Also Like…

• Vegan Texas Sheet Cake is always a summertime favorite
• This Vegan Key Lime Pie is a winner
• Vegan Lemon Bars.

I hope you love this recipe as we do! Have you tried it? Be sure and leave a comment and a rating of this recipe below and then take a quick photo and share it with me using #namelymarly on Instagram. I love seeing your creations!

Patriotic Cupcakes

Make these colorful, patriotic cupcakes for your summertime parties. You’ll love the surprise inside, with dollops of jam. This recipe is topped with vegan vanilla frosting too.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Patriotic Cupcakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 26

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Marly

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup almond flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup vegan butter softened to room temp
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Hazelnut Cream Frosting

• 1/2 cup vegan butter softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 – 2 tablespoons hazelnut flavored non-dairy creamer

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F and place cupcake liners in muffin pans. For this recipe I made 18 regular cupcakes.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch and salt.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the vegan butter, oil and sugar and mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy, up to 2 minutes. 
• Combine water, vinegar, and vanilla in a bowl.
• Beginning with flour mixture, alternate between that and the water mixture while continuing to mix on low speed. Turn the mixer off and use a spatula to push down any ingredients from the side of the dish. Mix again until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cupcake liners. Drop a dollop of jam onto the top of each cupcake before baking.
• Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until a tester inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean (no batter on it). When they’re done, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the Frosting

• To make the frosting, beat butter at medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and salt and beat on low until well combined. Scrape anything from the side of the bowl and then beat on medium speed. Add the hazelnut vegan creamer and continue mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy. This might take several minutes.
• Once cupcakes are cooled, top each with frosting. Transfer frosting to a pastry bag with a Wilton 1M frosting tip to add a decorative flute to the top of each cupcake. Optional: Top with fresh fruit, like raspberries and/or blueberries.

Recommended Equipment

Muffin Pan

Nutrition Facts

Patriotic Cupcakes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 260 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 3g15%

Sodium 225mg9%

Potassium 39mg1%

Carbohydrates 42g14%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 28g31%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 332IU7%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 17mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Enjoy!

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