Star-Spangled 4th of July Desserts and Treats

Here are a couple of recipes of desserts and treats that will put some "spark" into your 4th of July celebrations. Substitutions are always allowed such as sugar substitutes and sugar-free juices.

PATRIOTIC CUP CAKES

Bake: 20 minutes

Makes: 30 cupcakes

Ingredients needed:

6-8oz. of chocolate, chopped up (can use white chocolate if desired)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 stick of butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup milk (skim if you prefer)

4 large eggs

Whipped cream

Blue and red berries

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Next, melt chocolate in small pan, stir until smooth

Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm

Place cupcake liners in muffin tins that add up to 30 (see if you can find red, white and blue colored liners)

Step 2:

Stir flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl

Beat together butter, sugar and vanilla, beat in eggs next

Stir in chocolate

Add in milk slowly

Step 3:

Fill muffin cut about 2/3 full for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean

Cool completely

Step 4:

Top off muffins with whipped cream and berries of your choice

Step 5: ENJOY!

GRAND 'OL ICE POPS

Freeze: 6hrs.

Makes: 8 pops

Ingredients needed:

1 cup fruit punch or other red juice

1 cup lemonade

1 cup blue Gatorade or other blue juice

Step 1:

Arrange 8 paper cups on a baking sheet and divide red juice evenly among them

Freeze until juice is almost-hard (about an hour)

Step 2:

Insert Popsicle or craft sticks into center of almost-frozen juice

Divide lemonade evenly among cups and freeze until hard

Step 3:

Divide blue juice as last layer and freeze until hard

Step 4:

Rip paper cup down and over the frozen pop

Serve immediately