Champagne Cupcakes

New Year’s Eve is all about bubbles and sparkles, and this Champagne Cupcake recipe will add both to your New Year’s Eve party! These cupcakes start with a boxed, vanilla cake mix, which is whisked together with champagne. Homemade buttercream goes on top, while gold sprinkles festively finish off the treats. 

What kind of champagne is best for baking?

You can certainly use champagne for this drink, though a less expensive sparkling wine—such as prosecco or cava—works just as well. Since the cupcake batter is already sweet, we recommend using a dry sparkling wine, often labelled "brut" on the bottle.

Does the alcohol bake out of the cupcakes?

Yes, when the cupcakes are baked, the actual alcohol from the wine will bake out, leaving just a hint of white wine flavor (which should pair nicely with most of your New Year’s cocktail pairings!) However, the champagne in the buttercream is not cooked, and therefore a small amount of alcohol will remain. If you like, you can skip the champagne, and substitute milk or more heavy cream in its place. Or, substitute the icing recipe with your favorite classic buttercream or cream cheese icing recipe. (Store-bought frosting works great as well!)