Whether sipping on mimosas at a baby shower or toasting to a fabulous New Year with champagne flutes, champagne is synonymous with celebrating. This New Year's, I wanted to take celebrating with champagne to the next level, by incorporating it as an ingredient for baking. From the frosting to the cupcake itself, I added in hints of champagne. The cupcakes are absolutely delicious and are very light. They have a smooth, very pleasant original cupcake taste with hints of orange and sweet Champagne.And to kick your New Year decor up a notch, I organized the cupcakes in the shape of a clock, as a sweet way to count-down to 2014.
Champagne Cupcakes, adapted from Party Bluprints, Inc.
Yields: 24 cupcakes
2 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cups of unsalted butter (melted)
1/2 cup of sugar*
3 eggs
1 cup of honey
1/2 cup of OJ*
3/4 cups of champagne
1 teaspoon of grated orange zest*
cupcake tins*
cupcake tins*
*I used Sugar in the Raw
*I used Simply Orange-no pulp
*I used Stellina di Notte Prosecco. It cost $9.99 and comes in a gorgeous bottle.
*Take an orange (with the peel still on), and with a cheese grater, grate the orange until you have 1 teaspoon worth of orange zest
* I used gold foil cupcake tins.
* I used gold foil cupcake tins.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, powder, & salt). Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed, gradually adding in the butter. Add in the eggs, one at a time. Next, add the honey, OJ, and champagne.
On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl until well combined.
Fold in the orange zest.
Pour batter evenly into the cupcake tins. Bake cupcakes for 20-25 minutes at 350˚F, or until golden brown.
Champagne Frosting
6 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of unsalted butter (melted)
3 Tablespoons of Champagne
6 Tablespoons of Orange Juice
1 Tablespoon of Orange Zest*
*Take an orange (with the peel still on), and with a cheese grater, grate the orange until you have 3 tablespoons worth of orange zest.
In a large mixing bowl, whip together all of the ingredients at medium speed.
Clock Countdown Arrangement
Champagne Cupcakes
Champagne Frosting
Gold Foil Cupcake Tins
Gel Icing
2 Twizzlers*
*For the clockhands, you can also use pretzel rods, pieces of cardboard or whatever you have lying around in the house.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, spread frosting onto the cupcakes.
Write the numbers 1-12 with gel icing or print out numbers & insert paper into each cupcake with a toothpick.
On a large serving platter, align the cupcakes like a clock.
Use a Twizzler stick for the large clockhand; for the small clock-hand, cut a Twizzler stick in half.
Write the numbers 1-12 with gel icing or print out numbers & insert paper into each cupcake with a toothpick.
On a large serving platter, align the cupcakes like a clock.
Use a Twizzler stick for the large clockhand; for the small clock-hand, cut a Twizzler stick in half.
I hope you all enjoy the Champagne Countdown cupcakes. Even if you cannot find the time to decorate the cupcakes, the cupcakes are delicious stand-outs on their own.
