Light Elegant Champagne Cupcakes

Delicious light and fluffy champagne cupcakes exude elegance, class and star power. With the proper presentation you have a sumptuous dessert that will impress at any event. For a delicious and sophisticated combination of flavors and textures, top them with champagne buttercream.

What does champagne cake taste like? Champagne cake is made with a champagne reduction sauce which adds a subtle sweetness and effervescence to the cake. Consequently, Champagne cake has a light and delicate flavor perfectly suited for celebrations and special occasions.

The flavor of champagne cakes can vary depending on the recipe and the type of champagne or sparkling white wine used. Some champagne cakes have a more pronounced champagne flavor, while others have a more subtle flavor.

We consider our recipe to have a rather subtle champagne flavor, but you will taste it.

Events perfect for Serving Champagne Cupcakes:

These light textured, delicious champagne cupcakes are perfect for a variety of special events.

1. Weddings: These slightly boozy cupcakes would be a delightful and elegant dessert option for a wedding reception or bridal shower.
2. New Year’s Eve parties: Serve them as a fun and celebratory treat at a New Year’s Eve party.
3. Birthdays: Surprise someone special with a batch of festive small champagne cakes on their birthday.
4. Graduations: Sophisticated cupcakes like these would be a fitting treat to celebrate a graduation, whether it’s from high school, college, or graduate school.
5. Baby showers: These cupcakes would be a fun dessert option for a baby shower.
6. Bridal showers: Serve these bubbly cupcakes as a dessert for the next bridal shower you host. They add a touch of class and celebration to the occasion.
7. Anniversaries: Surprise your loved one with a batch of these Light textured cupcakes to celebrate your anniversary.

These light and fluffy cupcakes are a delicious treat that are perfect for LOTS of special occasions.

How to Make Pink Champagne Cupcakes:

Turn this recipe into Pink Champagne cupcakes recipe. It does not require pink champagne. Although you can use that if you wish. Pink Champagne may give a slight pink blush to the cupcakes but they won’t really be pink.

Instead, just add in a few drops of red food dye to the finished cupcake batter and buttercream frosting. Mix the drops in well and adjust the color as you prefer.

Viola! There’s your recipe for Pink Champagne cupcakes from scratch. Easy peasy.

Try these As Mini Champagne Cupcakes:

Making this recipe into Mini champagne cupcakes is a great way to stretch the recipe from 12 servings to at least 24 and possibly even 36 depending on your mini muffin baking pan size.

Properly presented minis can go anywhere the full sized cupcakes are appropriate. They would make a lovely addition to a wedding reception, bridal shower, or engagement party.

They could also be served at a New Year’s Eve celebration, a birthday party, or any other festive gathering. Mini champagne cupcakes are a fun and elegant treat that are sure to be enjoyed by all.

Mini cupcakes like these are especially smart to serve at events with a lot of other food. The small bite sized cakes are a welcome mouthful of deliciousness and won’t be wasted.

Good Toppings for These Cupcakes:

These lightly boozy cupcakes pair well with a variety of frostings and toppings. If you want to replace the champagne buttercream, here are some ideas on delicious toppings for these delicious cupcakes.

1. Fresh fruit: Add a pop of color and flavor to your cupcakes with fresh fruit, such as raspberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries.
2. Edible Luster Dust: A slight sprinkling of luster dust on your cupcakes, or other cupcake toppings can add just the right amount of color and subtle shine to really set them off.
3. Chocolate shavings: Sprinkle some chocolate shavings over the top of your cupcakes for a decadent touch.
4. Sprinkles: Add some fun and whimsy to your cupcakes with colorful sprinkles. We used these sprinkles for our New Years presentation. We also used these sprinkles for our champagne jello shots. So pretty!
5. Crushed cookies or candies: Crush up some of your favorite cookies or candies and sprinkle them over the top of your cupcakes for added texture and flavor.
6. Chocolate ganache: Make a simple chocolate ganache by melting some chocolate and heavy cream together and drizzling it over the top of your cupcakes.
7. Caramel sauce: Drizzle some caramel sauce over the top of your cupcakes for a sweet and indulgent touch.
8. Whipped cream: Top your cupcakes with a dollop of whipped cream for a light and fluffy finish.
9. Try our raspberry champagne cupcakes with our fresh raspberry buttercream.

The toppings you choose for your cupcakes will depend on your personal preferences and the theme or occasion of your event. Experiment with different toppings to find the perfect finishing touch for your cupcakes.

What Does Champagne Do In Baking?

Champagne and other alcohols do more than add a bit of buzz and flavor into your baked goods. Champagne adds a subtle sweetness and effervescence to the finished product. Including champagne in baked goods also creates a light, airy texture in the final baked product.

Champagne is a fun and festive ingredient to use in all kinds of baked goods. It adds a touch of celebration and sophistication people will enjoy. Just keep in mind that it does contain alcohol, so it may not be suitable for all audiences.

Why Make a Champagne Reduction Sauce?

These are fairly easy Champagne cupcakes to make. Although they do require a you make a champagne reduction sauce.

Reducing the champagne or sparkling wine is essential to the success of this recipe. We use the reduction sauce in both the cupcakes and the buttercream.

By concentrating the champagne in this reduction sauce we add the unique and sophisticated flavor we are going for in this dessert combo without adding too much liquid. Adding the champagne straight into the recipe rather than using the reduction sauce will make a noticeable difference. And not in a good way.

Reducing champagne does require some time and attention. But that extra flavor is more than worth it. The flavor boost in the cupcakes and frosting will richly reward you. They are going to be the best champagne cupcakes you’ve made. Just follow the easy instructions.

Can Kids Eat Champagne Cupcakes?

Do Champagne cupcakes have alcohol? Yes, these cupcakes and all baked goods made with alcohols will have a small amount of alcohol content in the finished baked product. The alcohol content is normally quite low. But it is not recommended to serve alcoholic beverages or foods to children or those that wish to avoid alcohol.

Even when you cook alcohol in a reduction sauce, the alcohol is still not completely cooked out. A reduction sauce is made by simmering a liquid, such as wine or champagne, until it has thickened and reduced in volume.

The simmering process does cause some of the alcohol to evaporate, but not all of it. The longer you cook the sauce, the more alcohol will evaporate, but there will still be some alcohol left in the finished sauce. Refer to the USDA Chart below to see how much alcohol is left.

If you are planning to serve the cupcakes for an event where children or non drinkers will be present, you may want to consider making a non-alcoholic version of the cupcakes and buttercream. Do this by replacing the champagne or sparkling white wine in the recipe with a non alcoholic champagne. This way, everyone can enjoy a special and celebratory treat, regardless of their age or drinking status.

Alternatively, you can make a separate batch of non-alcoholic cupcakes like these for the children to enjoy, alongside the bubbly champagne cupcakes.

What is a Good Champagne For Baking?

When it comes to baking with champagne, it is generally best to use a dry champagne or sparkling white wine for the reduction sauce. These types of champagne have a lower sugar content and a more pronounced flavor, which can help to add depth and complexity to your baked goods. Some good options for dry champagnes and sparkling white wines to use in baking include:

1. Brut champagne: This is a dry champagne with a crisp and dry flavor. It is a good choice for adding depth and complexity to your baked goods.
2. Extra brut champagne: This is a very dry champagne with a minimal amount of sugar. It has a bold and complex flavor that can add depth and richness to your baked goods.
3. Prosecco: This is an Italian sparkling white wine that is dry and fruity. It has a crisp and refreshing flavor that can work well in baked goods.
4. Cava: This is a Spanish sparkling white wine that is dry and fruity. It has a crisp and refreshing flavor that pairs well with a variety of baked goods.
5. Sparkling white wine: There are many different types of sparkling white wines available, ranging from dry to sweet. Choose a dry sparkling white wine with a crisp and refreshing flavor to add depth and complexity to your baked goods.

All of these alcohols will work beautifully for these cupcakes. In general, when choosing a champagne or sparkling white wine for baking, look for a dry option with a crisp and refreshing flavor. This will help to enhance the flavor of your baked goods and add a touch of sophistication to your desserts.

Cupcake Baking Tips:

Tips for baking light and fluffy cupcakes:

1. Use unsalted butter for Best Results.
2. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin. For these cupcakes we cook a reduction sauce. It is critical you allow the reduction sauce to Cool completely before adding it into the recipe. Otherwise your cupcake texture will suffer.
3. Make sure to preheat your oven
4. Line your cupcake pan with paper liners. This will make it easier to remove the cupcakes from the pan once they’re baked.
5. Mix the dry ingredients separately: In a medium bowl, mix together(sifting ingredients works best) the flour, baking powder, and salt. This will help to distribute the leavening agents evenly throughout the batter.
6. Cream the butter and sugar: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will add air to the batter, which will help the cupcakes to rise.
7. Add the eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure that everything is well-mixed.
8. Add the dry ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cupcakes.
9. Fill the cupcake liners: Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
10. Bake the cupcakes: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.
11. Cool and frost: Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Champagne Buttercream Frosting:

We double down on the champagne flavors in our cupcake recipe by topping them with this creamy, smooth champagne buttercream. The subtle champagne flavors in the cupcakes and the frosting compliment each other perfectly and add a touch of luscious elegance.

Champagne buttercream frosting is a creamy and smooth frosting with a subtle, bubbly flavor. It is made with butter, powdered sugar, champagne reduction sauce and vanilla extract. We also add in a bit of edible gold luster dust (optional) to add a bit of sparkle.

It is Marvelous with champagne cupcakes. They were made for each other!

More Ways to Use Champagne Buttercream Frosting:

Champagne buttercream frosting is a delicious, creamy frosting to use with a variety of baked goods. It is truly a recipe you will want to keep in your recipe box for future baking projects.

More Ways to Use Champagne Buttercream Frosting:

1. Frost the top of champagne cakes like this recipe, as a sweet and celebratory finishing touch.
2. As a filling for layer cakes or as a frosting for sheet cakes. Champagne buttercream pairs well with a variety of flavors, such as vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry.
3. On top of shortbread cookies or other simple, buttery cookies for a touch of elegance.
4. As a filling for cream puffs or éclairs.
5. On top of small, bite-sized pastries or tartlets for a sophisticated dessert option.

Champagne buttercream frosting can be used in a variety of desserts and baked goods. Experiment with using it in different recipes to find your favorite way to enjoy it!

Tips for Perfect Buttercream:

1. Use room temperature butter: It’s important to use butter that is soft, but not melted. If the butter is too cold, it will be difficult to mix and will result in a lumpy frosting. If the butter is too warm, it will be too soft and the frosting will be runny.
2. Sift the confectioners’ sugar: Sifting the confectioners’ sugar will help to remove any lumps and make the frosting smooth.
3. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar: Add the confectioners’ sugar to the butter a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. This will help to prevent the frosting from becoming too sweet.
4. Add flavoring and liquid: Once the confectioners’ sugar is well-incorporated, you can add any flavorings (such as vanilla extract or cocoa powder) and a little bit of liquid (such as milk or heavy cream) to thin out the frosting and make it easier to spread.
5. Adjust the consistency: If the frosting is too thick, add a little more liquid. If it’s too thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar.
6. Mix well: Be sure to mix the frosting well to ensure that it is smooth and creamy. You can use an electric mixer or a whisk to do this.
7. Frost your treats: Once the frosting is ready, you can use it to frost cakes, cupcakes, cookies, or any other treats you desire. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe for Champagne Cupcakes and Buttercream:

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