Independence Day Cupcakes

Involving your kids in the holiday baking is a fun way to entertain them when they are out of school. This is one of those easy, but impressive recipes. You can easily convert the colors to reflect the current holiday! Buttermilk and Vanilla Paste combine to make these cupcakes so flavorful, top them with homemade coconut cream frosting to really make them bang!

Ingredients

• 2 cups

  flour

• 3 teaspoons

  baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon

  salt

• 2 cups

  sugar

• 4

  eggs

• 1 cup

  vegetable oil

• 1 cup

  buttermilk

• 2 teaspoons

  vanilla paste or vanilla extract

• food coloring

• 4 ounces

  cream cheese

• 1/4 cup

  butter

• 1/4 cup

  shredded coconut

• 2 cups

  confectioner’s sugar

Directions

In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whip together the sugar and eggs until creamy. Leave the mixer on low and then pour in the vegetable oil, and buttermilk. Increase the speed to 3 and mix for 4 minutes. Add the vanilla paste and mix to combine.

Separate the batter between two bowls. Add food coloring to each bowl to achieve your desired colors. To get really bright colors, you will want to pick up gel food coloring, which is available at craft stores or in your supermarket’s craft baking aisle.

Use a medium-size scoop to add one scoop of the blue batter into cupcake cups. Tap the tray on the counter to pop any batter bubbles. Then carefully scoop the red batter on top.

Bake the cupcakes at 350-degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting.

To make the coconut cream frosting, combine room temp butter, cream cheese, and shredded coconut in a mixing bowl until creamy. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar until combined. Spread over the cooled cupcakes.

Serve immediately. You may store in the fridge for up to 3 days.