Champagne Cupcakes

Sometimes Chris and I don't finish a whole bottle of Champagne on Champagne Thursdays, so we end up with a little extra.  Shocking, I know!  We usually end up finishing it on Friday, but its not quite the same, it loses a lot of the bubbles.  

Since I pretty much love all things Champagne related, I knew I had to try this recipe for Champagne cupcakes.  I found the recipe in a People Magazine, I think it was a December issue, but I was reading it in January.  I'm always way behind in my magazine reading.  I'm kind of a magazine addict and have way too many subscriptions, so I usually end up reading them a few months later.  I'm trying to get better though and I'm not renewing as many of my subscriptions.  A lot of the magazines I like are on Pinterest, so I just follow them and its pretty much the same thing and free.  A sign I get too many magazines - I somehow ended up getting Car and Driver magazine, I didn't pay for it, but for some reason I get it and then I pass them along to my dad.  Anyways, back to the cupcakes...

Champagne Cupcakes

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 3/4 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/4 Cups Milk
2 1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 1/2 Cups Flour
2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 Cup Champagne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line muffin pans with 18-24 baking cups.  The recipe said 18, but I had plenty of batter.

Mix together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) and set aside. Beat butter and sugar together at medium speed.  Gradually add eggs and vanilla.  Begin adding dry ingredients alternating with milk.  Stir in champagne.

Spoon batter into cups and bake for 19-21 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.  Garnish with powdered sugar and strawberries or frosting.

Katherine Berman & Sophi LaMontagne's Champagne Cupcakes - The sibling owners of Georgetown Cupcake

New KitchenAid!

I got a new KitchenAid for Christmas and I absolutely love it!  I had my Grandma's old Hamilton Beach mixer before and I promised myself I would use until it broke.  I have many fond memories baking with my Grandma using that mixer.  It was old  vintage.  I looked on eBay and from what I could tell it was probably from the 60's.  Well the time finally came and I decided it was time for a new mixer.  I had the cord wrapped with electrical tape and the motor would get pretty hot when I used it, probably not the safest thing.  It was time to retire the old mixer and I couldn't be happier with my new toy!  Thank you dad for the great present!

Old Mixer

My little Jr. Chef, Parker, helped line the muffin pans with baking cups and added a few ingredients.

I have an assortment of baking cups stored in a mason jar.  I always end up with extras from birthdays, etc.   I think I saw this idea on Pinterest a while back and thought it was a great way to keep them all together.  

Happy Champagne Thursday!

Cheers!