Sparkle and Fizz: Champagne Cupcakes for Your NYE Bash
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What’s Up, Hungry People
There are many great reasons to pop some bubbly—New Year’s Eve just being one of them! For all of life’s celebrations, champagne is the go-to drink of choice. But if you really want to extend the celebration, why not bake the champagne into all of the celebratory sweets too?
Everything from the cupcake to the frosting is infused with champagne—it adds a subtle hint of sweetness without being overbearing, especially when topped with thick icing.
I even found some edible glitter stars to sprinkle on top of my cupcakes to give them that extra dash of jazz—and boy, were those a hit. It’s not every day you see star-shaped sprinkles, and certainly not shiny gold ones!
Aside from the few cupcakes that were smashed in drunken joy for the holiday, these cupcakes disappeared faster than the ball could drop.
But of course, there’s no reason to only make these for NYE. Champagne cupcakes are a great addition to just about any celebration that requires a tall glass of fizzy champagne!
Here’s What You Need
- Flour: Provides structure to the cupcakes.
- Sugar: Sweetens the batter and enhances browning.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cupcakes rise during baking.
- Baking Soda: Reacts to create lift and texture in the cupcakes.
- Butter: Adds moisture and flavor; helps create a tender crumb.
- Egg Whites: Provide structure and stability to the cupcakes.
- Egg Yolks: Enrich the batter with flavor and color.
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt: Adds moisture and a slight tang to balance sweetness.
- Champagne: Infuses a unique, subtle flavor into the cupcakes and frosting.
- Shortening: Helps stabilize the frosting and makes it creamier.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Edible Glitter or Sprinkles: Adds a festive, decorative touch.
Let’s Cook
First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F and get those muffin tins ready. Line them with paper liners and give a light spray of cooking oil. You’ll want your ingredients like eggs and butter to be room temperature, so set those out and let them warm up a bit.
Mixing It Up
Grab your stand mixer and start whipping those egg whites until they’re nice and frothy. Next, add in the butter, and don’t worry if it’s a bit chunky—it’ll smooth out. Pour in the sugar, vanilla Greek yogurt, and champagne and keep whisking until everything is just smooth.
The Dry Stuff
Now, it’s time to get the flour involved. Slowly add it to your mixer, a quarter cup at a time. Sprinkle in the baking powder and baking soda as you go. If your batter feels too runny, just add a bit more flour. Too thick? A splash more champagne should do the trick. You’re aiming for pancake-batter consistency—not too thick, not too runny.
Bake and Cool
Fill each cupcake tin about halfway to three-quarters full. Pop them in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready if a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean. Once done, let them sit in the tin for about 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.
Frosting Time
For the frosting, whip up the room-temperature butter and shortening first, then gradually add in the champagne and powdered sugar. Adjust the thickness by adding more sugar or champagne as needed until it’s just right—stiff yet soft enough to work through an icing tip.
Finishing Touches
Spoon or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Starting from the center, work your way out in a circular motion. Now’s the time to sprinkle on that edible glitter or sparkly sprinkles.
Ready to Serve
Let the frosted cupcakes chill out in the fridge for a bit. Pull them out about 30 minutes before you plan to serve, so the frosting softens slightly—perfect for that first delicious bite. Enjoy the fizz and sparkle of your beautiful creations!
Aside from the few cupcakes that were smashed in drunken joy for the holiday, these cupcakes disappeared faster than the ball could drop.
Champagne Cupcake Tips
- Prep Work: For best results, ensure all ingredients like eggs and butter are at room temperature before you begin. This helps them mix better, ensuring a smoother batter.
- Mixing the Champagne: When adding champagne to the batter, do so gradually to better control the consistency. If the batter becomes too runny, adjust by adding a bit more flour to compensate.
- Checking for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake to check if they’re done. If it comes out clean, they’re ready to come out of the oven.
- Frosting Consistency: If your frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time. If too thick, a small splash of champagne can loosen it up.
- Serving Suggestion: Let the frosted cupcakes sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. This brings out the best texture and flavor of the frosting.
So, whether you’re ringing in the New Year or just looking for a fun way to add a pop of celebration to your next party, champagne cupcakes are your go-to treat. They’re quick to whip up, fun to decorate, and absolutely a crowd-pleaser with their subtle champagne flavor and festive look. Don’t forget the sprinkle of edible glitter to really make them shine! It’s these little touches that turn a simple gathering into something memorable.
Champagne Cupcakes
Equipment
- cupcake tin
Ingredients
FOR CHAMPAGNE CUPCAKES;
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 6 egg whites
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup champagne
FOR CHAMPAGNE FROSTING:
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup shortening
- 5 cups powdered sugar + / – more as needed
- ½ cup champagne + / – more as needed
- edible glitter or sprinkles as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prep muffin tins with paper liners and spray lightly with cooking oil. Set aside. Separate the egg whites from the yolks, reserving two yolks, and let sit at room temperature for an hour. Keep the butter out too, to reach room temperature.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until frothy. Beat in the butter then whisk in the sugar, yogurt, and champagne, until smooth. There may be small chunks of butter in the batter—that's fine as they will melt away when baked.
- While continuously stirring on low speed, add in the flour 1/4 cup at a time. Add the baking powder and baking soda between scoops of flour. If the batter is too runny, add more flour. If it gets too stiff, add a dash more champagne. It should be about the consistency of pancake batter, so thick but not too runny.
- Fill the cupcake tins about 1/2-3/4 full, about 3-4 tablespoons per cup. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. They should be cooked through, but not browning on top. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and leave in their muffin tins for 10 minutes before transferring the cupcakes to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Cupcakes can be made 24 hours ahead and chilled until ready to add the frosting.
- To make the frosting, whip together the butter, shortening, champagne, and powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until a thick, stiff frosting develops. It should hold its peaks when the whisk is removed but should be soft enough that it will flow through an icing tip with little pressure. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it's too thick, add a touch more champagne.
- Fill a piping bag with the icing. Use a star tip or your favorite icing tip on the bag. Start the icing in the center of the cupcakes then work your way out, then up, in a single, circular motion. Sprinkle on the edible glitter, if using. Chill the cupcakes until ready to serve. Set them out for 30 minutes at room temperature to soften the frosting prior to serving. Enjoy!
