Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. (Red and white liners or plain red ones look great for the holidays.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil, and egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until the batter is smooth and well combined.

Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. Add about 4 drops of red food coloring to one bowl and stir until the color is evenly mixed.

To create the swirl effect, spoon a small amount of white batter into each cupcake liner, then a layer of red, followed by another layer of white, and finish with red on top.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely - about an hour.

While the cupcakes cool, tint about one-third of the frosting with a few drops of red food coloring and mix until blended.

To a piping bag, add a layer of white frosting, then red, then finish with more white frosting to create a swirl effect when piping.

Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Serve and enjoy your festive candy cane swirl cupcakes!