Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line 2 cupcake pans with 18 paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer use the paddle attachment to beat the butter until smooth and creamy, a few minutes.  Add in the sugar and continue beating until well combined with the butter and fluffy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add in the egg whites, one at a time, until incorporated.  Add in the vanilla extract, almond extract and sour cream.  Mix on low speed to combine.  Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl again.
4. Add in the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix on low speed.  Continue mixing on low speed and slowly add in the milk, mixing just until everything is incorporated.  Fold in the sprinkles by hand with a large rubber spatula, careful not to over mix or color could begin to bleed from the sprinkles.
5. Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full.  Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cupcake.  Let cool completely on a wire rack before adding frosting.

Frosting

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until light and creamy.  Slowly add in 3 1/2 cups of the sifted confectioner’s sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix on low speed until combined.
2. Add in the vanilla extract, 2 tbsp heavy cream (or milk) and a small pinch of salt.  Mix the frosting on a medium high speed until it becomes light, fluffy and smooth. 
3. If needed, add in more cream/milk if the frosting is too stiff or more confectioner’s sugar if the frosting is too loose in texture.
4. Add frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle (or nozzle of choice).  Pipe frosting as desired on top of each of the cooled cupcakes.  Finish by adding a few more sprinkles on top of the frosting of each cupcake.