Champagne Cupcakes

Champagne Cupcakes

Happy New Year! (And one year anniversary of my blog!)

I was on call at the hospital on New Year's Eve this year, but still wanted to be able to celebrate the New Year with some bubbly. I knew cupcakes would be a great way to incorporate champagne since we couldn't actually enjoy the real thing at the hospital (Although Trader Joe's sparkling cranberry juice was a tasty substitute!) Plus, there was a generous pour left in the bottle for my husband & I to enjoy when I was finished baking the cupcakes.

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CHAMPAGNE CUPCAKES (From Sprinkle Bakes)
Makes approximately 18 cupcakes

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup champagne, prosecco or your choice of sparkling wine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together champagne and sour cream (mixture will fizz and bubble a little).

Add flour and champagne mixture alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Batter will be thick.

Fill cupcake papers with 1/4 cup level measures of batter. Bake for 17-22 minutes.



CHAMPAGNE BUTTERCREAM

1 cup plus 1 tbsp. champagne or prosecco
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups confectioners' sugar

Place 1 cup of champagne in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Transfer to a small bowl and allow to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream softened butter and powdered sugar together. Once the frosting is thick and fluffy, pour in the reduced 2 tbsp. champagne plus 1 tbsp. champagne from the bottle and mix well.

Frost & decorate cupcakes as desired. (I thought the sugar pearls were reminiscent of the bubbles in champagne).

ENJOY!