Patriotic Tye Dye Cupcakes

The Fourth of July is a holiday I really loathe.

Maybe it’s me but when you’re an adult, fireworks just seem so childish and pointless.  In case you were wondering, I’m about as far away from being a pyromaniac as Charlie Sheen is from being attractive.  Just opposite spectrums here.  Candles are about as flammable as I get.

When you’re a kid, the idea of blowing up explosives in the night sky seemed cool and magical.  Watching all the colored fire burst into hundreds of little rainbow drops of light against the dark backdrop of the sky was awesome.  The thrill of lighting those sparklers and holding them out at arm’s length while they sparkle and fizz… awesome, right?

But as an adult, all you see is the hassle of a child lighting their hair on fire, your middle schooler getting too cozy with the dynamite sticks and the possibility of losing their hand becomes imminent — not to mention the astronomical COST of fireworks these days.  If I had kids, I’d probably just light a fire in the fireplace while the AC hummed and let them watch that while the Star Spangled Banner played in the background.  Or turn on the Yule Log DVD and have at it.  (Related side note: I would be a terrible mother).

And if you have pets, fireworks are basically shooting stars from the underbelly of hell.  Our dogs freak the HELL out when the UPS man comes to the door, and he doesn’t even detonate.  So when something is blowing up outside of our home, producing a shrill sound and tons of smoke and colored fire, my dogs get a little batshit.  Which makes me a little batshit since they’re running around the house panting, whimpering, hiding, and barking which ironically, is what I do when I’m trying to console them at 2 in the morning when my demon neighbors are still lighting off Piccolo Petes.

But when it comes to Fourth of July, I’m totally cool with laid-back backyard BBQs, drinking lots of beer, swimming and maybe lighting a couple of tiki torches or citronella candles.  Is it totally wild and crazy?  No.  But it’s still every bit as patriotic (or probably more so) than blowing up American soil with $50 in explosives.

Since the Fourth is coming up and there’s sure to be BBQs and parties galore, I thought I’d make an adorable and EASY cupcake that’s sure to be more impressive (and better tasting, of course) than your standard fireworks display.  They look so complicated but come together in a few simple steps and will definitely be the star of the show!  These Patriotic Tye Dye Cupcakes will be your new favorite!

These cupcakes couldn’t be simpler, yet they definitely make a stand-out impression with their fun, rainbow pops of color and those adorable cupcake tops piled high with creamy buttercream frosting and lots of sprinkles and sparkles!  I found my cupcake picks at Hobby Lobby, but any craft store should have a fun assortment of cupcake picks — use whatever you can find!

PS- how cool is that little George Washington bottle in the background?  I found it at a local antique shop and had to have it.  Hey, George! 🙂

Have a fantastical day!

xo, Hayley