Red White and Blue Explosion

These cupcakes look like some crazy 4th of July firework exploded on them. Let's just say that I was trying to play around with swirling things. I tried to swirl some color into the actual cakes, to make them festive, but I managed to forget what I had planned to do in my head and do it the wrong way which resulted in color only on the top of the cake. So the tops of the cakes themselves are festive. Some are red, some are white and some are blue. Then I felt antsy, I thought, "oh boy, won't it be fun to have red white and blue frosting all on top of one cupcake". Ha, what a mess I made. LOL


These cupcakes were moist and wonderful. One guest described them as tasting like a big fluffy sugar cookie and I had to agree, they kind of do. I am just glad that my guests actually thought it would be fun to have red and blue (purple perhaps) tongues. :)


White Cupcakes
Source: A Baker's Field Guide to Cupcakes By Dede Wilson

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
12 paper liners
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Place paper liners in all wells of one 12-cup cupcake tin.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl to aerate and combine; set aside. 3. Whisk egg whites and milk together in a small bowl to combine; set aside.
4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Beat in vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture in 4 additions, alternately with the egg white-milk mixture. Begin and end with the flour mixture, and beat briefly until smooth on low-medium speed after each addition.
5. Divide batter evenly among cupcake wells. Bake or about 20 minutes, or until edges turn light golden brown; a toothpick inserted in the center will show a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool pan on rack for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe Notes: This is a simple, moist white cake that can be varied endlessly. The cupcakes will keep for 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container or for 1 week frozen in an airtight container.

Buttercream Icing
Source: Wilton.com

Yield: 3 cups icing

Ingredients
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approx. 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk

Directions
1. Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer.
2. Add vanilla.
3. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
4. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Recipe Notes: Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.