Red Fireworks Cupcakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Go ahead and line the muffin pans and set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Put the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the whisk attachment. Start whisking on low speed until the whites start getting frothy. At this point, increase speed to medium. After an additional couple minutes, increase speed another notch or two.
4. Continue whisking until soft peaks form. At this point, it is time to add in 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Ideally, you want to add in a little at a time while the mixer is on low.
5. After all the sugar had been added, increase speed to medium/ medium-high.
6. The eggs are done was they form stiff peaks. I had to place my finished clouds of fluffiness into another bowl so that I could continue using the bowl for the stand mixer.
7. So we've set the egg whites aside. Now it is time to cream together the shortening and butter in the bowl of the stand mixer, this time fitted with the paddle attachment.
8. Once the shortening and butter have become combined to form a creamy mixture, turn the mixer speed to low. Add in the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar. Turn speed back up to medium and beat until creamy again.
9. Now it is time to add the flour mixture from earlier and the milk and half & half. Keep the mixer on low and add the flour and milk/half & half alternately. Make sure to begin and end with the flour mixture.
10. After all of the flour mixture and milk/half & half have been combined, add in the two extracts. (For the purer white color, I used clear vanilla extract.)
11. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way full.
12. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes.
13. Let the pan stand for 2 minutes after coming out of the oven. Turn the cupcakes out and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.
14. I used Red Velvet cupcakes that I had from an earlier baking attempt. Here is my little helper using the food processor to make the crumbs.
15. Once you get your crumbs, set them aside. Next, using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening and cream cheese together. When those are combined, add in the vanilla extract. Turning the speed down to low, very slowly, beat in the powdered sugar. I recommend by about 1/2-cup at a time to avoid having a sugar cloud erupt in your face. Beat until smooth and creamy.
16. Turn up the speed and let it whip up until it forms stiff peaks when you lift the beater.
17. Add in the cake crumbs and beat just until combined.
18. Put the icing in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe onto cupcakes--they will look like fireworks shooting off your plate!