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Is there anything more romantic than Champagne and strawberries? I can’t think of anything.
I also can’t think of a better Valentine’s Day dessert than these Champagne cupcakes with strawberry frosting.
What is it about Champagne that feels so celebratory? The chilled bubbles, the clink of slender glasses, the whole thing just feels fun and festive. And nothing goes better with Champagne than strawberries.
In fact, strawberries are purported to actually enhance the flavor of Champagne. We all learned that from Pretty Woman, right?
I love serving these Champagne cupcakes on any special occasion that needs celebrating.
What do champagne cupcakes taste like?
Champagne cake and cupcakes have a sweet, light vanilla flavor with just the slightest hint of effervescence.
It’s always interesting to watch people’s reactions when they try these Champagne strawberry cupcakes.
Some people say they can taste the hint of Champagne flavor right away and others say they can’t taste it at all. But everyone agrees that these cupcakes taste like something special.
What’s in these Champagne Cupcakes
Here’s what you’ll need to make these delicious Champagne cupcakes:
- All-purpose flour. Although I have not tested this recipe using gluten free flour, I feel confident saying that your favorite measure-for-measure gluten free flour would likely be successful in this recipe.
- Butter
- Sugar
- Champagne. Go for a dry (brut) champagne, sparkling wine or Prosecco.
- Milk. While a low fat milk might work for other cupcake recipes, it’s important to use whole milk in this recipe to get the right consistency.
- Eggs
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Baking Powder
How to Make Champagne Cupcakes
The cupcakes come together pretty much like any other kind of cupcake, up until the Champagne part.
Start by beating the wet ingredients in a stand mixer or a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer. Your wet ingredients are butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Now, slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
The last thing we’ll do is add the Champagne. It’s important to slowly fold the Champagne into the cupcake batter, rather than beating it in. Use a wooden spoon or flexible spatula to do this part. We want to keep those bubbles intact and sparkling, and the slow fold will keep them from going flat.
Then, simply fill a muffin tin with the cupcake batter and bake. Let the cupcakes cool completely while you make the fresh strawberry frosting.
How to make the Strawberry Frosting
There are some recipes out there that require you to cook the strawberries down, but I have found that you don’t really need that step.
Simply puree the strawberries in a blender and add them to the buttercream. You don’t even need to add sugar.
Then, combine the pureed strawberries with butter and confectioners’ sugar. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
The fresh flavor of pure strawberry puree makes this buttercream completely addictive. And any leftover puree can be used in smoothies, cocktails or poured over ice cream.
What’s the best champagne for baking?
Look for a dry kind of Champagne for baking cakes and cupcakes. Dry French Champagne will be labeled “brut”. Also, don’t feel bad about taking a shortcut and using Prosecco or other dry sparkling wine.
But since you’ll only be using a cup of it for these cupcakes, be sure to use something that you’ll enjoy drinking afterwards.
If you’re looking for something fabulous to make with the leftover Champagne, try my Champagne Chicken recipe. It’s the sexiest darn dinner you’ll ever cook, and that’s a guarantee!
Side note: I once tried to use pink Champagne, hoping it might impart a pretty color to the cupcakes, but it did not have any effect. If you want pink Champagne cupcakes, you’ll have to add a few drops of food coloring.
When to serve Champagne Cupcakes
Valentine’s Day is an obvious occasion for these festive little treats, but don’t stop there! Bake up a batch of these fluffy cupcakes any time you’re celebrating:
- New Years Eve
- Bridal Shower
- Mother’s Day
- Birthday Parties
These Champagne cupcakes will make an elegant addition to all of your special celebrations!
And when you make them, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more festive dessert recipes, try these:
- Butter Board Recipe with Peanut Butter and Candy
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
- White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Bundt Cake
Champagne Cupcakes Recipe with Strawberry Frosting
Ingredients
The Cupcakes
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 1 cup Champagne
- 2/3 cup whole milk
The Strawberry Frosting
- 1 lb. 10 oz. confectioner's sugar
- 12 oz. salted butter room temperature
- 8 oz. fresh strawberries plus extra for decoration
- 1-2 Tbsp. heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners or coat with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternately with the milk, until just combined. Fold Champagne until combined. The batter might be slightly lumpy. That's ok.
- Pour cupcake batter 2/3 of the way full into the muffin pan. Bake 18-20 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
- To make the frosting, cut the stems off of the strawberries and puree them in a blender until smooth. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar together. Then beat in the strawberry puree until smooth. Add the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time as necessary, until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Fill a piping bag or Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off with the frosting. Pipe the frosting in a circular pattern on top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle with red or gold sprinkles. Top with strawberry slices.
Charleen Cesario says
Oh my gosh- these were incredibly moist and delish – the kids loved making them with me and eating them 5 seconds later. So pretty and yummy