Red, White, and Blue Mini Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line forty-eight 1 3/4-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups.

2. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3. In a medium bowl beat butter with a mixer on medium to high 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until well-combined. Add egg whites all at once. Beat on medium-high 2 minutes. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture, beating on low just until combined.

4. Remove 1/2 cup of the batter to a small bowl; stir in red gel food coloring. Place tinted batter in a resealable plastic bag; cut off corner.

5. Spoon plain batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Drizzle red batter over each. Use a toothpick to marble batters.

6. Bake 12 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove and let cool in pan(s) 5 minutes. Remove; let cool completely.

7. Use a clean small paint brush to brush stripes of blue gel food coloring inside a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Spoon Creamy White Frosting into bag. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. If desired, top with sprinkles. Makes 48.

Creamy White Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening, vanilla, almond extract, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar. Gradually add milk until frosting reaches a spreading consistency. Makes about 3 cups.