RAINBOW CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA CLOUD FROSTING

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter , softened
2 1/3 cups sugar
5 egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk , warmed for 30 sec in microwave to bring to room temp
Rainbow colors of Gel food coloring
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
4 cups powdered sugar , sifted
1 tablespoon clear vanilla (if you use normal vanilla it will not be as white, but will be just as delicious)
tiny pinch of salt
3 tablespoons of milk

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In your stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together until much lighter in color, like a easter-y spring yellow (2-3 minutes).
Add in the egg whites and vanilla until totally combined.
Add the salt and baking powder to the flour.
Add in the dry ingredients and the milk alternating 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of milk at a time.
Add one cup of the batter to 6 different bowls.
Color each bowl with your gel food coloring in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.
Mix until the colors are fully combined.
Your choice here: Spoon or ziploc bags.
Either add the batter to 6 sandwich size ziploc bags and pipe just enough to make a thin layer of each color (maybe 1/4 inch tall batter layers)
OR
with a small spoon, spoon just under a tablespoon of batter into each cup.
Start with purple, then blue, then green, then yellow, then orange and finally red.
Bake for 18-20 minutes.
To make the frosting:
Whip the butter in your stand mixer with your paddle attachment(I LOVE LOVE LOVE this one with a built in scraper) until you see the butter is lighter in color (1 minute).
Add in the vanilla.
Add in the powdered sugar in 1 cup increments with the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, ending with powdered sugar.
Mix on high for 1 minute after each addition.
Your frosting should be SUPER light and fluffy, just like a delicious vanilla cloud.
Using a closed star tip and decorating bag, pipe your frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.

SOURCE : dinnerthendessert.com