Elegant Champagne Cupcakes

These light and luscious cupcakes are so simple to make.

Gold sugar sprinkles and gold foil wrappers add a touch of elegance.

Cake Ingredients:

1 box Pillsbury white cake mix (or other brand without hydrogenated palm oil)

1/2 cup canola or other vegetable oil

4 egg whites

1 cup champagne

24 gold foil cupcake liners  

NOTE: Follow the ingredient amounts, on the back of the the cake mix box, for the eggs and oil, if it differs from this recipe. Substitute champagne for any water that the mix requires. 

Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

6 Tablespoons champagne

6 cups powdered sugar

gold colored sugar sprinkles

Method:

Preheat oven according to package directions.

Place cupcake liners in muffin pans.

Follow the package directions to prepare the cake batter; substituting champagne for the amount of water the box calls for. Divide the batter evenly into 24 lined muffin cups, each about 1/2 full.

Bake according to package directions, approximately 20 -  25 minutes.

Remove from oven. Cool 5 - 10 minutes in pans, then place on a rack to finish cooling.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and shortening, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

With mixer on low, add the 6 tablespoons of champagne. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating to mix well, after each addition.

Place frosting inside of frosting bag with the piping tip of your choice.

Pipe frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes, starting at the center, swirling out, and then swirling back into the center, creating soft pretty peaks.

Sprinkle with gold sugar sprinkles. If you have a storage container, of the correct size, place the cupcakes inside and cover. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve the cupcakes.

Notes: 
I topped these elegant golden champagne cupcakes with very slender "sparkler" candles 
from Walmart. I purchased the gold foil cupcake liners and gold sugar sprinkles from 
Michael's Craft Store. 

For a recipe that uses 4 egg yolks, please see "Grandma Winifred's English Chess Tarts".