Life

The Only Fireworks Dessert Recipe You Need This Fourth Of July

Kirsten Nunez

The holidays are not complete without sweet treats. It is the easiest (and tastiest) way to emphasize specific colors or themes. Take this fireworks dessert recipe, for example. The red, white, and blue palette speaks to the patriotic vibe of Fourth of July. Top it off with clever use of candy, and you have got yourself a gram-worthy treat.

There is also a ton of room for customization. This tutorial uses chocolate cupcakes, which can be store-bought or homemade. You can even use the cupcake mix out of the box. Choose your favorite kind, whether it is delicious red velvet or vanilla. If you are not a fan of cupcakes, make brownies or muffins. Even doughnuts can get a little love with this technique.

While you are it, consider making other red, white, and blue desserts. Complete the menu with patriotic barbecue skewers and colorful cocktails. Heck, you can even grab fresh strawberries and blueberries can call it a day. For an instant dish, mix these fruits with vanilla ice cream or yogurt. Done and done.

Want to take things up a notch? Buy patriotic printed cupcake wrappers. Craft stores also sell edible glitter and shaped sprinkles. Between all these details, you will create the coolest dessert this summer.

Kirsten Nunez

Ingredients:

  • Cupcakes
  • Twizzlers Pull 'N' Peel Candy
  • White cupcake frosting *
  • Red and blue food coloring

* Before starting, separate the frosting in two or three separate containers, depending on your preferred technique (see Step 1).

Kirsten Nunez

1. Add a few drops of blue food coloring to the first container of white frosting. Mix just enough to swirl. Repeat in the second container, with red food coloring.

Alternatively, you can mix until the color totally changes. Prep a third container of all-white frosting. Mix and swirl the three colors together, then frost the cupcakes.

Kirsten Nunez

2. Take a big scoop out of one (or both) and frost a cupcake. You can use a butter knife to finish off the swirl.

Kirsten Nunez

3. Cut a segment of Twizzlers just under 2 inches. Peel apart the strands and fan them out.

Kirsten Nunez

4. Top off a cupcake. Fan the strands out as needed. If the frosting is too soft, pop the cupcakes in the refrigerator for a few minutes. This will toughen up the frosting enough to hold the Twizzlers.

Kirsten Nunez

5. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes. If you'd like, top them off with edible glitter or star-shaped sprinkles.