Ingredients:

  • 240 g (2 cups) All-purpose flour
  • 200 g (1 cup) Granulated white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Fine sea salt
  • 115 g (½ cup / 1 stick) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 120 ml (½ cup) Whole milk or buttermilk, at room temperature
  • 2 large Eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon Almond extract (optional)
  • Red and Blue Gel Food Colouring
  • 450 g (4 cups) Powdered (Icing) sugar, sifted
  • 225 g (1 cup / 2 sticks) Unsalted butter, softened for frosting
  • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract for frosting
  • 45 ml (3 tablespoons) Heavy cream or whole milk
  • A pinch of salt (to balance sweetness)
  • 1 pack Twizzler Pull 'n' Peel candy (separated and cut into 3 cm pieces)
  • 2 packages Pop Rocks candy (Cherry or Strawberry flavour)
  • 2 tablespoons Patriotic or star-shaped sprinkles

Instructions:

  1. Phase 1: Baking the Tri-Colour Sponges. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients & Cream Butter: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Beat the softened butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles wet sand.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time. Then mix in the milk, vanilla, and almond extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides and avoid overmixing.
  4. Divide and Colour Batter: Divide the finished batter evenly into three separate medium bowls. Leave Bowl 1 white, mix red gel colouring into Bowl 2, and blue gel colouring into Bowl 3.
  5. Fill Liners and Bake: Spoon the three colours side-by-side into each cupcake liner (Red, White, Blue). Fill liners about two-thirds full. Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer immediately to a wire rack to cool completely (60 minutes minimum).
  6. Phase 2: Preparing the Triple-Swirl Buttercream. Whip the softened butter in a mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
  7. Add Liquids: Mix in the vanilla, cream/milk, and pinch of salt. Beat on medium-high for 3–5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
  8. Divide and Colour Frosting: Divide the finished buttercream evenly into three bowls: leave one white, mix red gel into the second, and blue gel into the third.
  9. Load Piping Bag (The Swirl Technique): Lay a large piece of cling film flat. Place the three colours of frosting in long, parallel stripes (Red, White, Blue) onto the film. Roll the film into a tight sausage shape, snip one end, and insert into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
  10. Phase 3: Assembly and The Firecracker Finish. Pipe a generous, continuous swirl onto the completely cooled cupcakes. Immediately after frosting, sprinkle with the patriotic sprinkles and press a small amount of Pop Rocks directly into the top of the frosting. Insert one 3 cm strand of the Twizzler Pull 'n' Peel into the very centre of the swirl to represent the wick. Serve promptly for maximum Pop Rock effect!