Champagne Cupcakes for Valentine's Day

It's a cupcake. With booze in it. What's not to love?

Valentine's Day. Cue the twittering birds and soft music flowing from tiny harps! This, the Day of Love, evokes visions of heart-shaped chocolate boxes, bouquets of red roses, and romance. For me, it is simply a glass of bubbly and a special dessert shared with my sweetie.

What's a cupcake without sprinkles? It's nothing. It's dead to me.

Tart Little Dollop is my middle name.

These romantic, Champagne Cupcakes combine a crisp, refreshing sparkler with a sweet, vanilla cupcake with champagne buttercream. There is a surprise inside, too – a tart little dollop of raspberry filling.

Cut a wedge out of the middle, put a wee bit o' jam in there, then squish the lid back on. Once you put the frosting on, it holds the lid in place.

For the bubbles, I chose The Bub, from Haywire Winery in Summerland, BC. The Bub is a Traditional Method sparkler made from chardonnay and pinot noir. It's fresh and crisp and not too sweet – making it the perfect ingredient for these champagne cupcakes.

Any time is the perfect time for Bubbles!

I hope you try my Bubcakes and share them with your love, maybe with a little glass of The Bub. Happy Valentine's Day!

Click through for the recipe and instructions.


Champagne Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream and Raspberry Filling
Inspired by this recipe from One Sweet Appetite
Makes about 12 cupcakes - the recipe made 14 for me….

Ingredients
Cupcakes
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg whites
1 1/2 cups cake & pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sparkling wine or champagne
1/8 cup raspberry jam
Sprinkles!

Cupcake Method

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare cupcake pan by lining with your favourite colour cupcake liner papers.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Meanwhile, beat egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside.
4. In another small bowl, sift together the pastry flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
5. Add vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture; stir until combined. Add flour mixture; stir until combined. Add champagne and stir until combined.
6. Carefully fold in egg whites until mixed in, being careful not to mix too much.
7. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake liners.
8. Bake 12-15 minutes or until tester inserted into the centre of the cupcake comes out clean with no crumbs.
9. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients
1 cup butter
3 cups icing or confectioner's sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons sparkling wine or champagne

Frosting Method

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add sifted icing sugar, and beat on low until combined.
3. Add champagne, beat on medium until frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
4. Using a very sharp knife, cut a cone-shaped wedge out of the centre of each cupcake.
5. Spoon about a teaspoon of jam into the hole in the cupcake. Carefully squish the cutout piece of cupcake back in the hole. Try not to squish out the jam!
6. Frost the top of the cupcake using whatever method makes you smile. Top with sprinkles!