4th of July Berry Blast Cupcakes

With 4th of July just around the corner, I wanted to make a fun themed cupcake to celebrate Independence Day! :) My friend Kim suggested I bake something with Pop Rocks {because they're like fireworks in your mouth!} and when I told my friend Jen I planned to bake with them along with blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, she told me I should call them 'Berry Blast' cupcakes. Thank goodness I have creative friends!

These cupcakes may look simple {and kind of messy - it's been super hot and humid and my tiny AC can only do so much, so don't mind the semi-melted frosting}, but they are super delicious and packed with flavor. The cupcake is vanilla with strawberries and raspberries baked in the batter and the frosting is a fresh blueberry cream cheese...seriously delicious! I decorated them with strawberry Pop Rocks candy, white sprinkles and raspberries and blueberries to get America's colors in there. I recommend making them on Thursday - I promise people will love the flavor!

Berry Blast Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes...

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 10 oz strawberries, hulled and chopped into small pieces
• 4 oz raspberries, cut in half

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and line a cupcake tin with 12 liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of your standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition.
5. Beat in the vanilla extract until well incorporated.
6. Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed, followed by the milk and the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined and don't overbeat.
7. Reduce speed to stir and add in all of the berries until distributed.
8. Using your 1/4 measuring cup, fill each liner with batter.
9. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until cupcakes start to turn golden brown.
10. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.

For the frosting...

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pint blueberries
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 4 packets strawberry Pop Rocks
• white sprinkles
• raspberries to decorate

1. In the bowl of your standing mixer, beat the cream cheese for a minute until soft.
2. Add the butter and beat until fluffy.
3. Put about half of the blueberries into a food processor and pulse for about a minute. Add the pureed blueberries to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix until combined.
4. Add half of the remaining blueberries (not pureed) to the batter and mix until combined.
5. Add the vanilla extract.
6. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting reaches the right consistency.
7. Pipe onto cool cupcakes and top with Pop Rocks, white sprinkles, remaining blueberries and raspberries.
8. Store in the fridge until ready to eat!

And my 4th of July mani, just for good measure!