Champagne Cupcakes
These Champagne Cupcakes feature tender vanilla cupcakes topped with creamy champagne buttercream. They’re the perfect treat for New Year’s Eve…or any other night of the year!
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These Champagne Cupcakes feature a tender white cake base topped with champagne buttercream frosting. Add in some gold sprinkles and jimmies, and you’ve got the perfect treat for celebrating New Year’s Eve…or really any other night of the year. After all, who says delicious cupcakes need to be reserved only for New Year’s??
Speaking of celebrating the new year, do you get dressed up and go out on the town for midnight? Or are you more of a house party with friends? Although we used to go out and about, we have definitely switched gears to the “stay home with friends” style now. And I’m not gonna lie – sometimes we’re long asleep by the time 11:59 flips over to 12:00. And I’m perfectly ok with it!
When it comes to celebrating the arrival of the new year, the most iconic party (at least here in the US) is Times Square with it’s large crystal ball. But I’d argue that Times Square is not the most unique. Take a look at some of these other more “festive” ball drops around the United States:
- Key West, Florida drops a 20-foot conch shell at midnight.
- A buzzard (yes, a buzzard) gets lowered in Perry, Georgia.
- Hackettstown, New Jersey drops a giant M&M. No word on whether it’s plain or peanut, though.
- Mount Olive, North Carolina (home to Mt. Olive Pickle Company) drops…you guessed it…a 3½-foot pickle.
- This list could go on and on, but I’ll stop with just one more. Eastover, North Carolina drops a 3-foot flea. Apparently, the area used to be infested with fleas, and this is a nod to the town’s history.
Champagne Cupcakes
No matter what drops on New Year’s Eve, these Champagne Cupcakes are the perfect sweet treat! The tender white cake base is delicious in its own right, but add in the champagne buttercream? I’ll take one of those cupcakes please!
For those of you who bake a lot, this white cupcake base might strike you as a bit odd. Normally when you bake a cake, you start by creaming together the butter and sugar, right? Well, this method is different. The room temperature butter gets stirred into the flour mixture until it’s crumbly. Then the liquid mixture gets added.
I tried this method several months ago, and I admit I had my doubts. (“These cupcakes will never bake correctly!“) I’ll admit that I was 100% wrong! The cupcakes turn out soft and tender, and I honestly could’ve eaten them by themselves. Of course, I’ll never say no to a good schmear of frosting…
Champagne Buttercream
The frosting for these Champagne Cupcakes does indeed use champagne. 6 oz. of champagne gets boiled down to 2 oz. Reducing the champagne concentrates the flavor while at the same time reducing the liquid. I’ll admit that it’s sad to boil down champagne, but after one bite of these cupcakes, you’ll understand why!
We served these cupcakes with friends, and interestingly enough, we all commented that the champagne buttercream had a mild cream cheese flavor. This isn’t a cream cheese frosting. There’s no cream cheese involved in the recipe. Yet the flavor had that slight tang that you get with cream cheese. Apparently reduced champagne flavor is similar to cream cheese. Who knew?
Of course, don’t forget the fun garnishes on top of these cupcakes! Stop by a local crafts store and you’ll find plenty of options in the baking aisle. Edible gold stars or gold jimmies. Large silver pearls. Heck, even gold or silver spray paint is an option – just make sure to use the edible kind. Have fun – this cupcake recipe lends itself to creativity!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftover cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Once the frosting has been added to the top, these cupcakes will be difficult to freeze. (It can be done, but it’ll be difficult.) I recommend just eating these cupcakes while they’re fresh!
If you’re looking for a fun New Year’s Eve dessert, then add these cupcakes to the list. They were a crowd favorite here, and they may just become a yearly tradition in our house! Happy Baking!
Did you bake this Champagne Cupcakes recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me (@Spicedblog) on Instagram – I’d love to see your version!
Champagne Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup milk room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Champagne Frosting
- ¾ cup champagne
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- {for garnish} white chocolate chips curls and/or silver jimmies
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. (Tip: Spray inside of each wrapper with nonstick cooking spray.)
- Using a large bowl, add flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir until well combined.
- Add butter; stir until mixture appears crumbly.
- Using a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Add liquid ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Fill each muffin cup with ~¼ cup of batter.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean.
- Remove cupcakes from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack until completely cool.
For the Champagne Frosting
- Using a small saucepan, add the champagne and place over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and let simmer until mixture reduces to ¼ cup (~8-10 minutes).
- Remove saucepan from heat and let reduced champagne cool completely to room temperature.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the champagne reduction and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
- Transfer frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Frost tops of cooled cupcakes.
- {Optional} Garnish top of cake with white chocolate chips, curls and/or silver jimmies.
Looking for more New Year’s Eve recipes? Check out some of our other favorites:
I need to try this soon for me and I love chocolate BTW can’t wait to make your recipes soon for me
Thanks so much, Ramya – these cupcakes are quite tasty!!
Merry Christmas and happy new year David!!
Thanks so much, Sherry – best wishes right back at ya! May the coming year be filled with all sorts of delicious foods!
Happy New Year! How much fun are these champagne cupcakes! So super festive!
Thanks so much, Michelle – and happy new year right back at ya!!
Alas, I’m late to the party but these cupcakes do look incredibly festive. Hope you had a great holiday. And Happy New Year to you and yours.
Who says the party has to end?? These cupcakes would be great for Valentine’s Day, too! Thanks so much for stopping by, Frank – and Happy New Year to you and your family as well. This first week back is slow…but we’re getting there!
I know it might seem like a minor point, but the cupcake liners and sprinkles you chose really make these cupcakes look so pretty and festive. I immediately though of New Years when I saw them. But of course the flavor is the most important part, and your champagne buttercream transforms these cupcakes into an absolutely heavenly experience!
Thanks so much, Heidi! I’d had these sprinkles and wrappers for a while now…which kinda prompted the reason for the cupcakes. I decided to make a fun NYE-themed dessert with champagne…and these cupcakes turned out really well! They’d be great for Valentine’s Day, too!
These look like such a blast, David, the whole champagne‑reduction‑into‑buttercream thing is genius, and those gold sprinkles really make them pop.
That champagne buttercream is so tasty, Raymund – and perfect for celebrating, too!