This 4th of July- instead of store bought desserts- put a blast of fun into making unique baked goods the whole family can enjoy! Try out some fantastic recipes from Duncan Hines® and cupcake experts Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, authors of the New York Times Bestseller Hello, Cupcake and the newly released What’s New Cupcake. Spend less money to create a sweet treat with Duncan Hines!

These recipes are perfect for any July 4th party. So whether you are cupcake crazy or just want to wow the crowd, try these unique and easy recipes that will be sure brighten up your 4th of July just like fireworks do!

Flag Cakes

Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients:

1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Classic White Cake Mix

1 (3 oz) pkg red flavor gelatin

1 (8 oz) container whipped topping

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup cold water

1 pint strawberries

1 cup blueberries

1 cup miniature marshmallows

aluminum foil/fancy foil – color of your choice

star shaped stickers

miniature American candy flags

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease and flour a 13×9-inch pan.
Prepare, bake and cool cake according to package directions.
Use a large fork to make holes in the cake about every 1/2-inch.
Pour gelatin into a large bowl. Add boiling water and mix until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour gelatin over the cake allowing it to run into the holes.
Refrigerate cake for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
Cover a cake tray with aluminum foil then place on tray to decorate.
Frost the sides and top with whipped topping. Then arrange strawberries, blueberries and marshmallows on the cake to create a ‘stars & stripes’ pattern. Use the blueberries to create a blue background in the upper left hand corner.
Take your foil stars and miniature American flags and decorate the sides of the cake. Once you have finished decorating the cake, place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.

Corn on the Cob

Makes 8 ears of corn: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 can (16 ounces) Vanilla Frosting, Yellow food coloring

About 3 ½ cups Small jelly beans (Jelly Bellys) in assorted yellow, cream, and white colors

4 pieces Yellow fruit chews (Laffy Taffys, Starbursts)

1 tablespoon each Black and white decorating sugars

(available at baking supply stores)

8 sets Corn Holders (optional)
Instructions:

Tint the vanilla frosting pale yellow with the food coloring.
Working with 3 cupcakes at a time, spread yellow frosting on top of each.
Arrange about 5 rows of jelly beans, close together, on each cupcake. Place the 3 cupcakes side by side on a corn dish or a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes, frosting, and jelly beans.

Cut the fruit chews into eight 1-inch squares, and soften the edges slightly by
Hand so that they look melted. Place 1 square on top of each group of 3 cupcakes. Sprinkle with the sugars. Insert 1 corn holder, if using, in each of the end cupcakes.

Candy Stars and Stripes Forever

Make 1 flag: 48 standard and 48 mini cupcakes

Ingredients:

48 Standard vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners

6 Mini vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners

42 Mini vanilla cupcakes baked in red paper liners

3 cans (16 ounces) Vanilla frosting, blue and red food coloring

Assorted red and white candies such as:

Swedish Fish, regular and mini

Fruit leather (Fruit by the Foot)

Candy-coated chocolates, regular and mini (M&M’s)

Jordan Almonds

Gumdrops and spice drops

Sprinkles and jimmies

Gumballs and gum rectangles (Chiclets)

Jelly Beans

Licorice Pastels, licorice laces, nibs, and twists

Gummy bears

Mini jawbreakers

Sour strips and fruit chews (Sour Power Belts, Sour Patch Kids)

Instructions:

1 ¾ cups of the vanilla frosting blue with the food coloring. Tint 2 cups of the vanilla frosting red with the food coloring.
Spread the blue frosting on the tops of 12 of the standard cupcakes and the 6 mini cupcakes in white liners and smooth. Arrange the white candies on top in decorative designs.
Spread the red frosting on the tops of the 42 mini cupcakes in red liners and smooth. Arrange the red candies on top in decorative designs. Spread the remaining 36 standard cupcakes with the remaining vanilla frosting and smooth.
Starting at the bottom of the flag, arrange 3 rows across the 8 white-frosted cupcakes on a large serving platter or cutting board. Arrange the top 3 rows with 4 blue-frosted and 4 white-frosted cupcakes. Make sure all the cupcakes are touching one another. Place the mini red cupcakes between the rows of white-frosted cupcakes; 2 rows of 12 bridging the bottom 3 rows and 3 rows of 6 bridging the top 3 rows. Place the 6 mini blue cupcakes in between the rows of blue-frosted cupcakes.

Shared by : The Plus Size Mommy

*Disclosure – I was sent product coupons for Duncan Hines.

Tags: 4th Of July, Cakes, Cupcakes, desserts, Duncan Hines, recipes, red, Summer recipes, white and Blue