21 Fun Cupcakes for the 4th of July

These frosty cupcakes are practically a fireworks display on their own. The little treats feature red velvet cake, blue moon ice cream, a creamy white topping and star-spangled sprinkles. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

These fun cupcakes take a favorite Arnold Palmer recipe and turn it into dessert. Add a slice of lemon on top for a puckery finish. —Jessee Arriaga, Reno, Nevada

Instead of a layer cake, serve guests these delicate cupcakes tinged with a tangy lemon flavor. —Ruth Ann Stelfox, Raymond, Alberta

This cupcake version of tres leches cake actually uses four types of milk, plus cream, but quatro leches cake just doesn’t have the same delicious ring to it. If you love dairy, you won’t be disappointed with this special take on the classic.

Root beer barrel candies and a spice cake-like batter give these cupcakes an old-fashioned flavor. Kids will especially love them! —Dot Kraemer, Cape May Court House, New Jersey

Bring on the red, white and blue with this creative cupcake cake perfect for the Fourth of July, Memorial Day or any favorite occasion. With some delicious and colorful frosting and a careful arrangement, your sweet display will be a patriotic nod to our great American flag. —Rebecca Wetherbee, Marion, Ohio

A friend asked me to make a coconut and pineapple cupcake for a gathering she was hosting. Everyone agreed that this beauty took them to the tropics. The macadamia nuts are completely optional (the friend happens to be allergic), and the cupcakes are still fantastic without them. —Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta

I bake over 200 of these cupcakes for our church suppers, and we always run out. If you can't find Key lime juice, use lime juice. Just add a tad more sugar. —Julie Herrera-Lemler, Rochester, Minnesota

A delightful coconut and ricotta cheese filling is hidden inside these chocolate cupcakes. —Dolores Skrout, Summerhill, Pennsylvania

I asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont

I created this recipe based on our family's love of chocolate-dipped ice cream cones. Red heart-shaped sprinkles make them fun for Valentine's Day. Vary the color to match the occasion. —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan

Three types of milk wonderfully moisten these cupcakes. Toasted coconut on top adds an elegant touch. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

I made these light, tangy cupcakes on a chilly day to remind me of our vacation in southern Florida, where Key lime pies are star attractions. —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan

Good any time of the year, a chocolate cupcake recipe make a great get-up-and-go treat on busy summer days. These buttermilk chocolate cupcakes have been a frosted favorite with family and friends for at least 35 years. They're really popular at bake sales. —Ellen Moore, Springfield, New Hampshire

Guests just love these yummy white cupcakes that are topped with a cream cheese frosting. The strawberry-blueberry garnish makes them the perfect treat for a patriotic-themed party on Memorial Day or Fourth of July. —Judy Kenninger, Brownsburg, Indiana

I have baked cupcakes for years. These easy to make treats make an attractive dessert for special occasions. —Barbara Hahn, Park Hills, Missouri

These no-fuss treats are so much fun to make with kids, and they put a spark in Fourth of July parties. You can tint the whipped topping red and blue to make the frosting festive, too. —Erin Glass, White Hall, Maryland

The bright taste of these cute cupcakes reminds me and my friends of orange-and-vanilla frozen treats. —Jen Shepherd, St. Peters, Missouri

Nothing is better than homemade cupcakes. They are so delicious and fluffy. Choose whatever frosting you want to top these treats. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Red wine and chocolate make an amazing pairing, especially in these rich, elegant cupcakes made for my mother’s birthday. She adores them! —Candace Cheney, Fort McMurray, Alberta