Celebration Champagne Cupcakes

Well, well, well I'm a little late on the New Year's Eve bandwagon. I wanted to post these little babies before the big night, but ended up making them the day of.  Then I realized, these are super awesome and good anytime of year, for any celebration, even if that celebration is waking up with enough energy to bake these marvelous little bites of yumminess. So...if you've got any left over champagne in the fridge from New Year's Eve? Wait, what am I saying? Of course not, it's champagne and who would have any left over? Well, just in case you saved a little, I've got a perfect way to use it. It's time to pop some bubbly and make some champagne cupcakes. These cupcakes are my new favorite, seriously, you have to try these.

Soooo guys, did you come up with any New Year's good intentions resolutions this year? I would like to try and be more creative this year and develop some new recipes. I would also like to work on my photography, let's be honest, it needs work. I may even purchase a couple of new toys to help me out with that. I also want to try (experience) something new at least once a month. This month I am going to the symphony. It's such a romantic idea, and an excuse to dress up. It's the first concert to start of the city's Beethoven festival. I would also love to eat a lot more sweets and not get fat...haven't quite figured that one out yet.

Anywho, if you are craving a delicate, moist cupcake, stuffed with a creamy white chocolate ganache, with the best buttercream you have ever had, in the entire world, you better get that oven preheating. :)

Oh by the way, I broke down and bought a cupcake corer.  Handy little dude if I do say so myself.

Celebration Champagne Cupcakes

Champagne Cupcakes 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup butter softened 
• 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

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix. 

4. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside. 

5. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup champagne and 1/2 cup sour cream (mixture will fizz and bubble a little).

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

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

Champagne Whipped White Chocolate Ganache 

Ingredients: 

• 8oz white chocolate 
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 1/8 cup champagne 

Instructions: 

1. Melt chocolate in a double-boiler over hot water.

2. In a saucepan, bring to boil the heavy cream to boiling; remove from heat when it froths and add champagne. 

3. Whisk 1/3 of cream into chocolate until smooth. Slowly whisk in remaining cream. Refrigerate overnight or freeze for a few hours. 

4. Whip until stiff. 

Champagne Swiss Meringue Buttercream 

Ingredients: 

• 5 large egg whites 
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar 
• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 4 tablespoons champagne 
• Pinch of salt 

Instructions: 

1. Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with vinegar on paper towel, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 140 degrees F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.

2. With whisk attachment of mixer, begin to whip until the mixture is thick, glossy, and cool. 

3. Switch over to paddle attachment and, while mixing on medium speed continuously, add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth). 

4. Add vanilla, champagne, and salt, mix well. 

5. Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week, leaving out at room temperature when needed, rewhipping in mixer for 5 minutes.

For the topper, I just piped the 2012's out on wax paper with white chocolate.  Make sure your numbers are thick or they can easily melt or fall over.  You could do anything though, a heart, the number of years for an anniversary, what ever you'd like.


The wonderful cupcake recipe came from Sprinkle Bakes, and I added the champagne to Sweetapolita's swiss meringue buttercream.