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These Champagne Cupcakes are super moist and full of satisfying champagne flavor! They’d be perfect For New Year’s Eve or any other special occasion.
Champagne Cupcakes
I am a big fan of using champagne in desserts when I can. Champagne is pretty much the universal celebration drink and dessert is the universal celebration food, so why not combine them? It gives you the best of both worlds and the perfect treat for a special occasion – especially New Year’s Eve!
When it comes to champagne treats, I’ve made No Bake Champagne Cookie Pops, Mini Strawberry Champagne Cheesecakes, Mini Strawberry Champagne Trifles, a Strawberry Champagne Layer Cake and even Champagne Mousse! But of course these Champagne Cupcakes (originally posted back in 2014) have always been a favorite. Today I’m sharing an updated version with you that’s even better than before!
How are these even better? First, they contain even more champagne. Second, the texture of these cupcakes is even better than before! These are based on my newest Moist Vanilla Layer Cake, which is a favorite for me whether making a cake or cupcakes. I used it here as cupcakes and it makes the most lovely, fluffy cupcakes! These Champagne Cupcakes truly are the best and I know you’ll love them!
How to make Champagne Cupcakes
The first thing you’ll want to do when making these cupcakes is make a champagne reduction. You’ll use one and a half cups of champagne and cook it down to 3/4 cup. This allows you to add twice the amount of flavor with half the amount of liquid, so you don’t mess up the texture of the cupcakes. Once the champagne is reduced, set it aside to cool. You could even pop it in the fridge.
Next, you’ll make the cupcakes. These use both butter and oil to give you the best of both worlds – butter for flavor and a little oil for added moisture. Start by creaming the butter, oil and sugar together until it’s light in color and fluffy. You’ll be able to see very visible change and know it’s creamed.
You’ll then add the eggs and vanilla extract, followed by alternating the dry ingredients and milk/champagne. Bake the cupcakes, then set them aside to cool.
Champagne Buttercream
These cupcakes don’t stop at adding champagne to the cupcakes, it’s also in the buttercream! Gotta go all out, right?!
The buttercream is made with my usual butter and shortening, but always feel free to use all butter. I personally prefer the shortening, since I like to leave my cakes and cupcakes at room temperature when I can. I think they taste better that way and don’t dry out as quickly. All butter frosting doesn’t do as well at room temperature, so I use some shortening.
To your butter/shortening and powdered sugar mixture, you’ll add the champagne reduction that remains to give you your champagne flavor. Once well combined, your champagne buttercream is ready to go!
Are Champagne Cupcakes alcoholic?
While some alcohol does bake out of the champagne when it’s cooked on the stove (and in the oven), generally there is still some alcohol that remains. How much remains can very (read more about that here), but it’s safe to say that yes, these are alcoholic.
If you’re looking to make sure they have plenty of alcohol in them for a celebration and don’t want it all cooked, you could add some additional champagne to the cupcakes after they are baked. Poke some holes in the tops of them with a toothpick and then brush the tops with some additional champagne. It’ll also add even more flavor!
These Champagne Cupcakes are sure to be a hit no matter what! They are seriously full of flavor and such a tasty, light cupcake! I hope you enjoy them!
Check out my recent Champagne Cupcakes with Champagne Truffle Filling! They are another version of a champagne cupcake with a whipped champagne truffle filling!
Recipe updated 12/23/19. If you are fan of the original recipe, you can download that here.
You might also like
No Bake Champagne Cookie Pops
Strawberry Champagne Layer Cake
Mini Strawberry Champagne Trifles
Champagne Mousse with Chambord
Raspberry Peach Champagne Popsicles
Watch How They’re Made
Print
Champagne Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 1 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 Cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Champagne Cupcakes are super moist and full of satisfying champagne flavor! They’d be perfect For New Year’s Eve or any other special occasion.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) champagne
CHAMPAGNE CUPCAKES
- 1 1/4 cups (163g) all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp (84g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cups (155g) sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120ml) champagne reduction, above
- 2 tbsp (30ml) milk
CHAMPAGNE BUTTERCREAM
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp champagne reduction, above
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
1. To make the champagne reduction used in the cupcakes and frosting, add all of the champagne to a medium sized saucepan and cook over medium heat until you’ve got 3/4 cup remaining. Don’t boil. To measure how much champagne remains, pour into a glass measuring cup. Add it back to the pan if it needs longer to cook down. When done, refrigerate until cool.
2. To make the cupcakes, prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
3. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
4. Add the butter, sugar and oil to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Add the vanilla extract with the second egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
6. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
7. Add the milk and champagne reduction and mix until well combined. The batter might look a little curdled, but that’s ok.
8. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
9. Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
11. To make the buttercream, combine the butter and shortening in a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
12. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
13. Add 3 tablespoons of the champagne reduction and the salt to the frosting and mix until well combined.
14. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add additional champagne reduction as needed to get the right consistency.
15. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844. To see how to create the swirl design, see my tutorial. Add sprinkles, if desired. Note that if you’re doing to serve the cupcakes more than a few hours after adding the sprinkles, you may want to use a sprinkle that doesn’t bleed, like the ones shown.
16. Store the cupcakes in an air-tight container. Cupcakes are best if eaten within 2-3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 406
- Sugar: 44.4 g
- Sodium: 14.7 mg
- Fat: 20.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 54.1 g
- Protein: 2.2 g
- Cholesterol: 65.8 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
Hi I have a question about mixing cake batter. I heard from someone that “mixing should be done only in one direction.” Otherwise the cake will not look good. I didn’t understand why or how mixing the cake batter in one direction is better than random.
I use hand-held electric mixer.
And also some use recipes say to beat butter and sugar first then add the rest but some say just beat all wet together and then add all dry ingredients next altering dry and milk.
Which way gives us best cake density for a layered cake and moist cupcakes.
I’ve never heard that about mixing in one direction and don’t really know that to be true. As for mixing method, there is no one-size-fits-all. It really depends on the individual recipe.
Hi, I plan on trying this cup cake recipe but making one sponge cake. How long would I have to cook it for.
I’m not really sure, I haven’t done that. It could be anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. Just be aware that when you bake that much cake batter in one pan, it can sometimes give you the denser texture.
Ooh, so I made this with the almond flour and used only brown sugar instead of white and it was fabulous!
I made these last night with Barefoot Bubbly Moscato Or something to that effect. As a rare consumer of alcohol I wasn’t sure what to expect as far as taste. Anyway, I tasted the bubbly to have an idea of what flavor to expect and reduced it as stated but the cake tasted plain to me. The frosting had a tangy taste but I’m unsure if that was the intended effect. Also, is the reduction to be syrupy as mine just reduced in volume and I didn’t let it get to boiling stage?
I was wondering if these would be safe to take to work? I’m a nurse and will be working New Years Eve and I was wanting to take something fun. How alcoholic are we talking about here?
I honestly don’t know what the final alcohol content is, but I personally would feel OK taking them to work. I don’t really think there’s enough alcohol when it’s divided between the cupcakes to be an issue. But ultimately you have to use your judgment.
Hi,
I made these last year with sour cream but the recipe above doesn’t show that as an ingrediant. Do you still have that recipe? It was my favorite. Thanks.
Yes, if you look right above the pink recipe card, there is a link to where you can download the PDF of the old version of the recipe.
Hi. I’m going to make these this year. I see in some older comments from years past some mention of sour cream vs yogurt. I don’t see either one of those ingredients in the recipe. Was that for a previous recipe possibly? Thanks!
Yes, I recently updated the recipe. I think the new version makes a nicer, fluffier cupcake. But if you’d like to try the old version, there is a link to download that recipe right above the pink recipe card.
Before I make these, i was wondering if there is a substitute for champagne.
Not really. If you leave out the champagne, you’d have vanilla cupcakes. There may be some kind of champagne flavoring you could buy, but I’ve never tried.
This champagne cupcake recipe looks amazing and so perfect for our New Year’s celebration. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi!
I’ve made these cupcakes every year for my birthday for the last 3 years!! They are absolutely my favorite! I usually use my favorite peach sparkling wine and they turn out so beautifully.
This year I have a friend who had a gluten intolerance.
I am going to try baking with almond flour.
I was wondering if you had any experience or tips on how I should go about this or if I’ll be experimenting on my own.
Either way, I’ll try to remember to let you know what I did and how it turned out!
Thanks for a beautiful recipe!
Emmylou
I really don’t have much experience working with almond flour. I would imagine if they do bake ok, the texture will be relatively different. A gluten-free all-purpose flour might work out better. I hope they turn out well! I’m so glad to hear you enjoy the recipe!
beautiful cupcakes! I would like to make these for a baby shower. Will the champagne bake out so as to be alcohol free? May use a sparkling juice in frosting……… any thoughts? thank you
Just made these; quite disappointing. When I removed them from baking there was a puddle of butter in muffin tin so liner was greasy. Cupcake flavor was ok texture was not appealing. The frosting is very sweet and taste like shortening. Glad I gave this recipe a dry run before using them for a baby shower.
I’m sorry you were disappointed. These cupcakes seem to please some, but not others. They are a little denser and buttery, it’s true. As for the frosting, the shortening can always be replaced with an equal amount of butter, if shortening isn’t your thing. If you’d like to try an updated version, these are my new champagne cupcakes and are quite different from these as far as texture.
how many mini cupcakes could I get from this recipe?
I’m not sure. You’d probably get at least close to 30.
Just made these for a New Year’s Eve party tonight and they came out delicious (always test before serving!). 🙂 I topped them with a thin slice of strawberry and it’s a wonderful compliment to the taste. Thank you!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed them!
If I don’t have an electric mixer can I cream the butter and sugar, and do wet and dry ingredients separately then combine?
Will I have problems with this recipe if I use the extra dry Champagne?
Any type of champagne should be fine.
I have made these twice now. Once for a friends Anniversary party and last week for a rehearsal dinner. I added a sugared rose petal to the top they were beautiful. I made one change I did 3/4c butter 1/4 c shortening they were so good many said best they ever had.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the Cupcakes!