Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C and place a oven rack in the center.  Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners, set aside.

To a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, once at a time until well incorporated. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, whisk just until mixed. Add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix well. Add the other ½ of the flour mix only until the dry is well incorporated into the wet. Add red food coloring until you reach the color you like, mix until well incorporated.

Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full with the cupcake mix. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top does not look wet (the time will depend on how your oven is calibrated). Gently press the top of a cupcake — if it springs back, they’re done. Also, when a toothpick inserted in the center it should come out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to completely cool. Remove from the oven and cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to completely cool.

Divide the frosting between 3 different bowls. Add red food coloring to one and blue food coloring to another, mix well, leaving one white.

Add the piping tip to 3 different piping bags and fill each with the frostings. Starting at the outer edge of the cupcakes, working in a circle using the blue frosting. Then the white and finish in the center with the red. You can see this technique in the video at the bottom of the recipe card.