July 4th White Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

White Chocolate Cupcakes

1. In a standing mixer, cream the butter until fluffy with the sugar, except for the extra 1 ½ tablespoons.
2. Place the white chocolate in the microwave for 20 second intervals until completely melted. Make sure not to burn. Add the white chocolate to the sugar mixture.
3. Add the sifted dry ingredients, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Mix until combined. Be careful to not over mix.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place cupcake papers in a cupcake pan.
5. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are light and fluffy. Add in the 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar, little by little.
6. Once the egg whites form peaks, fold them into the cupcake mixture.
7. Distribute the batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling each liner about ⅔ of the way up.
8. Bake for 19 - 20 minutes at 350 or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Buttercream Frosting

1. Using a standing mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add in the sifted powdered sugar, little by little, alternating with the vanilla and whipping cream.
3. Mix until fluffy and transfer into three separate bowls. Distribute evenly, I would suggest using a kitchen scale.
4. Add in the food coloring to each of the bowls and mix until the color is even throughout all the buttercream.
5. Transfer each color into a piping bag. Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it on your counter. Then take the blue color piping bag and spread a line over the plastic wrap. The line should measure approximately the length of your piping bag. It should fit into the bag and fill it almost completely in length. Repeat once again on top so you have a line that is double the thickness.
6. Continue doing the same thing for the red color, then the white, and repeat each color once more until there are two blue lines, two white, and two red.
7. Roll one edge in until it touches the last color which should be white. At the end, the blue touches the white color. This will give you the shape of a cylinder. Tie up the edges. Cut one of the edges and place that part into the bottom of another piping bag sleeve with your decorating tip placed. This way your dollop of icing will be three colors and the colors won't smudge together.
8. Add a large dollop onto each cupcake, from the outside inwards, and serve. Make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled before adding the icing. If not the frosting can melt. Serve and enjoy!