Champagne Cupcakes

These champagne cupcakes make me feel fancy.

I feel fancy despite the fact that I only spent $5 on the champagne I put in these guys. And I feel fancy despite the fact that I might have cereal for every meal today.

The sprinkles make my floor feel fancy too. I bet that I dropped as many sprinkles on the floor as landed on the frosting.

So, cheers to the new year with cupcakes!

Champagne Cupcakes {makes about 36 minis}
Recipe adapted from Allrecipes, via Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 t salt
• 2/3 up butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup champagne
• 6 egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 36 (give or take) mini muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and blend into the butter mixture alternately with champagne.
3. In a large clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining whites. The dough is pretty dense, so fold like you mean it. (And try not to get frustrated like I did, because the cake will turn out ok, I promise!) Divide between paper liners.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Pretend the sprinkles are fizzy bubbles, ok?

Champagne Buttercream
Recipe from Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients:

• 3 1/4-3/4 cups powdered sugr
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 3 T champagne, at room temperature

Directions:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and butter. Mix on low until well blended, and then on medium for another two minutes. Add vanilla and champagne, beating on medium for another minute. If you need to thicken it, add a scant half cup more powdered sugar.
2. Pipe onto cupcakes in a spiky way for fun or to be like champagne bursting out of the $5 bottle you’re bringing to a party tonight!

These taste even better after hanging out on a sparkly pink cake stand.
(Thanks to Jake! Thanks to Scout!)