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New Year's Eve Champagne Cupcakes

Champagne cupcakes are tender, lightly tangy treats topped with fluffy champagne buttercream made with a reduced champagne syrup. Bake them in a standard 12-cup muffin pan for a festive dessert with a delicate champagne flavor.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 27 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cupcakes
  • 1.5 cups flour all-purpose
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 cup butter unsalted, softened
  • 0.75 cup sugar granulated
  • 2 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 0.25 cup sour cream at room temperature
  • 0.5 cup champagne at room temperature
For the champagne buttercream
  • 0.5 cup champagne
  • 0.5 cup butter unsalted, softened
  • 3 cups sugar confectioners'

Equipment

  • 1 standard 12-cup muffin pan
  • 1 1-quart saucepan
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Make the cupcakes
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  4. Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
  6. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and champagne in two additions; begin and end with the flour mixture, and mix just until combined.
  7. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
  8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes.
  10. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the champagne buttercream
  1. Simmer the champagne in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 6 to 10 minutes.
  2. Transfer the reduction to a small bowl and cool completely.
  3. Beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth.
  4. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar on low speed until incorporated.
  5. Add the cooled champagne reduction and beat on medium speed until the buttercream is fluffy.
Frost the cupcakes
  1. Spread or pipe the buttercream over the completely cooled cupcakes.

Notes

Cool the champagne reduction completely before adding it so the buttercream stays fluffy. Refrigerate frosted cupcakes for up to 3 days; unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen. For a nonalcoholic variation, use nonalcoholic sparkling wine in place of the champagne.