If you’re looking for an easy but showstopping dessert for the Fourth of July, these American flag cupcakes are just the thing. With their red, white, and blue buttercream swirls and adorable sprinkle stars, they look like they came from a bakery — but you can whip them up right at home. They’re a fun way to bring a festive pop of color to any patriotic celebration, from backyard barbecues to fireworks viewing parties.

American Flag Cupcakes

These cupcakes are as simple as baking your favorite yellow cake mix (or homemade version) and decorating with three piping bags of colored frosting. If you love these, make sure to check out red white and blue trifle, no-bake cherry bomb cookies , and patriotic pudding shots that are also popular this time of year. They’re great for entertaining and even better for sharing on social media.

The real fun is in the decorating. You’ll use blue frosting to create the “stars” section, then alternate red and white stripes using a star piping tip to complete the flag look. Finish it off with a few tiny white star sprinkles, and you’ve got a cupcake that’s not just delicious but perfectly on theme.

What You Will Love About This Recipe

A festive and fun dessert that’s easy to decorate

Great for holidays, picnics, or potlucks

Kid-friendly and perfect for patriotic parties

Customizable with your favorite cake or frosting flavors

What You Will Need

How to Make USA Flag cupcakes

Bake cupcakes per recipe and cool completely
Use the blue frosting to pipe star shapes in a square in the top left portion of the cupcake as shown

Then alternate using the red and white frosting to pipe the stripes, beginning with red

Place white sprinkle stars in the blue section

Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

Let your cupcakes cool completely before decorating so your frosting doesn’t melt.
Using gel food coloring helps achieve bold, vibrant colors without thinning your frosting.
If you don’t have a star tip, a basic round tip can work too for a simple piped look.
You can make the cupcakes a day in advance and decorate them just before serving.

FAQs

A Wilton 18 star tip gives the best textured look, but any star or round tip will do.

Use gel-based food coloring and start with white buttercream. Add color a little at a time until you get the shade you want.

Definitely! Store them in an airtight container in the fridge and bring them to room temp before serving.

American Flag Cupcakes

Ready to wow your guest this 4th of July? These USA flag cupcakes are just what you need as you turn your favorite box of cake mix into a patriotic masterpiece.

Ingredients

1 box yellow cake mix + additional ingredients per instructions OR your favorite recipe
Red, white, and blue buttercream frosting in separate piping bags each with a Wilton 18 Star tip
White star sprinkles

Instructions

Bake cupcakes per recipe and cool completely
Use the blue frosting to pipe star shapes in a square in the top left portion of the cupcake as shown
Then alternate using the red and white frosting to pipe the stripes, beginning with red
Place white sprinkle stars in the blue section
Enjoy!

Melissa

I’m Melissa, the imaginative force behind Sparkles to Sprinkles, where creativity comes to life, and sprinkles of joy are scattered generously. Melissa is a proud Jersey girl who found love with a New York boy. As a mom to four wonderful boys and a few fur babies, her journey into the world of blogging began after making the life-changing decision to stay home and raise her children. Previously a dedicated workaholic, Melissa’s blog became her creative outlet and passion project. Inspired by her mother-in-law, a masterful cook renowned for her delicious home-cooked meals and legendary holiday feasts (think mouthwatering sausage stuffing), Melissa honed her culinary skills through a combination of family recipes and countless cooking classes. She often attended these classes with her son Michael, who shared her enthusiasm for cooking from a young age. Melissa’s love for learning extends beyond familiar cuisines, as she enjoys exploring international recipes in hands-on cooking classes. Her blog features a diverse array of recipes, showcasing her expertise with various kitchen appliances such as the Instant Pot, air fryer, Slow Cooker, Ninja Foodi, Instant Vortex Plus, and more. Join Melissa on her culinary adventures as she shares tried-and-true family favorites alongside exciting new discoveries!

American Flag Cupcakes That Steal the Show at Every Fourth of July Party