Candy Land Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line three 12-count standard size cupcake pans with liners and set aside.

In a measuring cup, combine milk and vanilla. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Mix in sugar until fluffy.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Carefully add flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a separate bowl using an electric mixer, beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold egg whites into cupcake batter.

Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove pans from oven. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter and shortening on medium speed until creamed. Slowly beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix in salt and vanilla. Slowly mix in water (or milk) adding more or less until desired consistency is achieved.

Divide batter into 4 bowls. Tint one with red gel, one with yellow gel, one with violet gel and one with blue gel. Add only a pea-sized amount to start and stir. Add additional drops at a time until you reach your desired shade.

Fill 4 piping bags with the frosting. Using an 809 piping tip, top cupcakes with frosting. Garnish cupcakes with candies as desired.

Makes 36 cupcakes.

Cupcake recipe adapted from Southern Living.