Show your support with sweets for those who serve our country! This recipe for red, white, and blue cupcakes is a delicious and colorful way to let your patriotism shine through. Make them for an Independence Day celebration (or any holiday honoring our American heroes) or just to show your appreciation for our selfless veterans.

Makes 24 cupcakes

Instructions:
The cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
2. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the milk, butter, and vanilla, beating on medium for 2 minutes. Add the egg whites, and beat 2 more minutes.
3. Divide the batter evenly into three bowls. Add blue food coloring to one bowl, red into another, and leave one bowl without food coloring. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full, alternating between a few spoonfuls of each color to make the camouflage pattern.
4. Bake for 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from baking pan, and let cool on a cooling rack.

The frosting

1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the food coloring, mixing well.
2. Divide the frosting evenly into three bowls, coloring one blue and one red, and keeping one with no color.
3. Use a knife to alternate putting the colors on each cupcake, or, if using a piping bag, scrape each color onto the sides of your piping bag and squeeze out to get a marbled look.