Frugal Foodie Mama: Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes

Just in time for any Independence festivities you may have planned for this weekend (and if you are quick, even this evening!)- Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes!  These cupcakes are super easy and come together quickly. Well, mainly because I cheated and used a boxed cake mix.  ;)
So what will you need to make these?

1 box of white cake mix
1 cup of raspberries
1 cup of blueberries (or blackberries)
2-3 tbsp of sugar
Your favorite white frosting recipe (or you can make it even easier & used canned frosting)

Mix the cake mix according to the directions on the box.  I reduced the water by 1/4 cup since I knew the berries would be adding moisture to the batter.  
Next, mix your berries together in a small bowl with 2-3 tbsp of sugar.  You can use either fresh or frozen berries.  I actually used frozen raspberries and fresh blueberries since it is what I had on hand. 

Mix the berries into the cake batter and then using a small measuring cup, fill your cupcake liners in a muffin tin about 2/3 full each with batter.  Bake according to the directions on the box for cupcakes.


Once baked, let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.  Whip up your favorite vanilla or buttercream frosting (just make sure it is white!). I figured that since I used the cake mix shortcut for the cupcakes that I would at least make a frosting from scratch. ;)  I used a cupcake frosting recipe from the blog, Natasha's Kitchen.  Click here for the recipe.  I divided the frosting into 3 bowls, using food coloring to dye one bowl blue, one red, and left the third one white.  


I admit it- I don't use fancy pastry bags for my icing.  I use a plain old gallon sized food storage bag with a bottom corner snipped off and then just slip my icing tip into the snipped off corner.  I literally just spooned each color icing into the bag side by side, but if you would like to the colors to stay more separate you could put each color into quart sized storage bags with snipped corners, and then set those bags down inside the larger gallon sized bag.  I kind of like the tie-dyed effect I got by just letting the colors mix and mingle. ;)


Just frost your cupcakes and then decorate however you see fit (Or not all, if you prefer. The frosting is pretty enough!).  I used some red, white, & blue star-shaped marshmallows and some red and white pinwheel party picks I found in the dollar section at Target.  


Red, White, & Berry Cupcakes!


Happy 4th of July!