Can I make these beach cupcakes ahead of time?

You can bake the cupcakes a day in advance and store them in an airtight container. I usually wait to decorate until the day of serving so the textures stay fresh.

What if I don’t have gel food coloring?

Liquid coloring works, but you may need more of it, which can slightly thin the frosting. Add it slowly and adjust with powdered sugar if needed.

How do I keep the graham cracker “sand” from getting soggy?

Apply it close to serving time if possible. If you need to prepare earlier, keep the cupcakes in a cool, dry place—not the fridge, which adds moisture.

Can I use a boxed cake mix instead?

Yes. If you’re short on time, a boxed vanilla mix works fine. Focus your effort on the decorating—that’s where these cupcakes really stand out.

Beach Cupcakes: Easy Summer Dessert for 24

Beach Cupcakes

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Beach cupcakes with soft vanilla cake, blue frosting, and graham cracker sand. A fun, creative dessert for summer parties.

Author: Taha Ayad
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 48 minutes
Yield: 24 cupcakes 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

2 1/2 cups unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons whole milk
8 cups powdered sugar
Blue gel food coloring
1/4 cup crushed graham crackers
White sprinkles and chocolate pearls
Candy or chocolate shells

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake pans
Cream butter, sugar, and oil until light and fluffy
Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl
Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk into batter
Fill liners two-thirds full and bake for 18 minutes
Cool cupcakes completely before frosting
Prepare buttercream by mixing butter and powdered sugar
Divide frosting and color half blue
Spread white frosting on half of each cupcake
Spread blue frosting on the other half
Top white side with crushed graham crackers
Add sprinkles and decorate with candy shells

Notes

Do not frost warm cupcakes to avoid melting
Adjust frosting consistency with milk or sugar as needed
Add graham cracker topping close to serving time for best texture

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Calories: 320
Sugar: 28
Sodium: 140
Fat: 18
Saturated Fat: 11
Unsaturated Fat: 6
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 38
Fiber: 1
Protein: 3
Cholesterol: 65

Find it online: https://www.dailysavoryrecipes.com/beach-cupcakes-easy-summer-dessert/