Making American Flag Cupcakes is a fun process that results in beautiful treats. Follow these steps to create your own:

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. Prepare the Batter: In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each one is well incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until smooth.
6. Divide the Batter: Split the batter into three bowls.
7. Color the Batter: In one bowl, add red gel coloring until the desired hue is reached. In another, mix in blue gel coloring. Leave the third bowl plain for the white batter.
8. Fill the Cupcake Liners: Using a spoon, fill each cupcake liner in the pan with a layer of each color batter—red on the bottom, white in the middle, and blue on top.
9. Bake: Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool: Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Make the Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
12. Color the Frosting: Divide the frosting into two bowls. Color one bowl with red gel coloring and the other with blue gel coloring. Leave some frosting white for decoration.
13. Frost the Cupcakes: Use a piping bag to frost the cooled cupcakes. Use the red, white, and blue frosting to create swirls or stripes.
14. Decorate: Top each cupcake with fresh blueberries and sliced strawberries to create a flag design. Add star-shaped sprinkles for a festive touch.