Wow guests with these Fourth of July Cupcakes that are almost too pretty to eat!

Servings: 18 cupcakes

Prep time: 35 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients 

Cupcakes

• 1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 eggs
• Red food coloring
• Blue food coloring

Frosting

• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1-1/2 (8 oz) packages reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• Blue glitter gel
• Red glitter gel

Garnish

• Fresh blueberries and strawberries or sprinkles

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 18 regular-size muffin cups.
2. In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients except food color with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
3. Divide batter between 3 bowls. Add red food color to 1 bowl to desired color of red; leave 1 bowl white; add blue food color to 1 bowl of desired color of blue.
4. Spread a spoonful of blue batter and then a spoonful of white batter in paper baking cup. End by thoroughly spreading red batter on top so that the white and blue does not show through . Use up batter to make 18 cupcakes.
5. Bake as directed on box for cupcakes; 2 to 3 minutes may need to be added to bake time. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
6. To make frosting, combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
7. Fit the mixer with a whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.
8. Take the glitter gel and draw two blue lines and two red lines on the inside of a piping bag. Fill the bag with the white frosting.
9. Frost the cupcakes with the frosting.
10. Garnish with strawberry fans and blueberries or sprinkles.
11. Store covered in the refrigerator.