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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.
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2
Make the cupcakes: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
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3
Combine the granulated sugar and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 2 minutes.
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4
Beat in the melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
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5
Reduce the mixer to low speed; beat in half of the flour mixture, the milk, then the remaining flour mixture until smooth.
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6
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
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7
Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
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8
Make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
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9
Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth, then beat in the vanilla and raspberry extracts.
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10
Beat in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until creamy.
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11
Transfer half of the frosting to a separate bowl and tint red with food coloring.
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12
Put the white and red frosting in separate zip-top bags; snip a corner of each.
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13
Snip a corner of a larger zip-top bag; put both frosting bags in the larger bag and twist so that they pipe out of the snipped corner.
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14
Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
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15
Make the candy stars: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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16
Microwave the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl in 45-second intervals, stirring, until smooth.
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17
Transfer to a small zip-top bag and snip a small corner.
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18
Pipe twelve 2- to 3-inch stars onto the parchment, piping double or triple lines for stability.
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19
Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes.
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20
Carefully lift the stars from the parchment and insert into the frosting on each cupcake.
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21
Photograph by Kate Mathis
