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Perfect Uncle Sam Top Hat Cupcakes Recipe with Cream Cheese Stars and Stripes

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These festive cupcakes feature a moist vanilla base topped with cream cheese frosting decorated as patriotic stars and stripes, perfect for Fourth of July celebrations and other patriotic occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Red gel food coloring
  • Blue gel food coloring
  • Mini marshmallows or white candy stars (optional)
  • Thin red licorice ropes or fruit leather strips

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
  6. Spoon batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling about two-thirds full.
  7. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until light and fluffy.
  9. Divide frosting into three bowls. Leave one portion white, tint one with red gel food coloring, and one with blue gel food coloring.
  10. Using a piping bag with a small star tip, pipe blue stars onto the center of each cupcake.
  11. Pipe alternating red and white stripes around the sides of the cupcakes to mimic Uncle Sam’s hat.
  12. Wrap a thin strip of red licorice or fruit leather around the base of the hat as a band. Add mini marshmallow stars if desired.
  13. Chill cupcakes for 30 minutes to set the frosting before serving. Bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for best mixing results. Sift dry ingredients to avoid lumps. Avoid overmixing batter to keep cupcakes tender. Chill frosting before piping to hold shapes better. Practice piping on parchment paper to perfect stars and stripes. Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and bring to room temperature before serving. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months; frost after thawing.

Nutrition

Keywords: Uncle Sam cupcakes, patriotic cupcakes, Fourth of July dessert, cream cheese frosting, vanilla cupcakes, stars and stripes cupcakes

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