Funfetti Cupcakes from Scratch

From Cookie madness blog...

Funfetti Cupcake Clones

3 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising) – 11.8 oz
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
5 large egg whites, room temperature
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (7 oz)
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12.25 oz)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
Colored Sprinkles (1-2 tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 standard muffin tins with paper liners.

Have all ingredients measured out and ready to go.

Mix the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

In bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons of the sugar (from the original 1 3/4 cup) and keep beating until whites are almost stiff. If they get two stiff, they’re more difficult to fold in, but you want them to have plenty of volume. With a large rubber scraper, remove the whites from the stand mixer bowl and set aside in another bowl.

Add butter to stand mixer bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat for about 5 minute, scraping sides of bowl often. Beat in salt, vanilla and almond extract (if using) and continue scraping sides.

Beginning and ending with the flour, add the flour and the milk alternately (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Scraping and mixing until batter is relatively smooth.

Fold the egg whites into the batter. At this point, you can decide how you want to dress up the cupcake batter. You can add mini chocolate chips, a couple of tablespoons of sprinkles, or divide the batter among little cups and die it with gel paste.

Divide batter evenly among the cupcake pans and bake on center rack for 22 minutes. Let cool and spread with vanilla icing.

Makes about 24

Vanilla Icing

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
8 tablespoons butter, unsalted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3 tablespoons whipping cream

A few tiny pinches of salt if using unsalted butter

Mix the sugar and butter on low speed of an electric mixer. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes, scraping sides of bowl often. Add vanilla and a tablespoon of the cream. Continue beating, scraping sides and adding cream until you get the right consistency. Taste and add salt if needed (only if using unsalted butter).

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.