Firecracker Cupcakes

White cupcakes decorated with red and blue coconut and red licorice-string fuses set a firecracker theme at your fourth of July celebration.

• Preparation Time: 35 mins
• Cooking Time: 16 mins
• Total Time: 51 mins
• Calories: 340 Calories

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 1 (16 ounce) package vanilla frosting
• 8 drops red food coloring
• 1 (15.25 ounce) package white cake mix (such as Duncan Hines®)
• 1 (14 ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut (such as Bakers® Angel Flake®)
• 8 drops blue food coloring
• 1 (.68 oz. tube) red decorating gel
• 1 toothpick
• 24 (4 inch) pieces red licorice strings

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12-cup muffin tins or line cups with paper liners.

Step 2

Combine cake mix, water, eggs, and oil in a bowl. Stir to moisten; beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared muffin cups.

Step 3

Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 16 to 20 minutes.

Step 4

Divide coconut into 3 equal portions. Place 2 portions into separate resealable plastic bags; place remaining portion on a plate. Add blue food coloring to one bag and red food coloring to the other; seal bags and shake until coconut is evenly colored. Pour colored coconut onto separate plates.

Step 5

Remove paper liners from cupcakes; frost tops and sides. Press each cupcake gently into the 3 plates of coconut, completely coating all sides. Draw a star shape on top using the decorating gel. Make a hole in the center of the star with a toothpick; insert a licorice piece "fuse."