Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups (180 g) All-purpose Flour, sifted
  • 1 cup (200 g) Granulated Sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp (7.5 g) Baking Powder
  • ¼ tsp (1.5 g) Fine Sea Salt
  • ½ cup (113 g) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 2 large Eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120 ml) Whole Milk, room temperature
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ cup (45 g) Red and Blue Jimmies/Sprinkles
  • 1 cup (226 g) Unsalted Butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 4 cups (480 g) Confectioners’ Sugar, sifted
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) Pure Vanilla Extract (for frosting)
  • ½ tsp (2.5 ml) Almond Extract
  • 2 – 3 Tbsp (30 – 45 ml) Heavy Cream or Whole Milk (for frosting)
  • Pinch (1 g) Fine Salt (for frosting)
  • 12 pieces Cherry Twizzler Pull-N-Peel Candy
  • 2 Tbsp (30 g) Red, White, and Blue Sparkling Sugar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup standard muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
  2. Whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light, pale, and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes).
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add the flour mixture and the milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (3 additions of flour, 2 of milk). Mix only until just combined; do not overmix.
  6. Gently fold in the red and blue jimmies using a rubber spatula.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting (approximately 30–45 minutes).
  9. Prepare Frosting: While cooling, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, salt, and extracts. Add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a light, fluffy, and pipeable consistency.
  10. Garnish Prep: Take each Cherry Twizzler Pull-N-Peel strand and separate it into 6–8 small strands. Cut these strands into varying lengths (approximately 1–2 inches) to create a dynamic 'burst' effect.
  11. Frost and Decorate: Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a generous swirl onto each cooled cupcake. Immediately dip the edges of the swirl into the sparkling sugar. Place the prepared Twizzler strands into the center of the frosting swirl, arranging them outward like a bursting firework.