These pink champagne cupcakes are baked from scratch using Champagne-reduction and frosted with pink champagne buttercream. Perfect to celebrate a special day be it a birthday, anniversary, mother's day, valentine's day, or wedding day.
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Do you know that not all sparkling wine is champagne? BUT all champagne is sparkling wine. So, while we often refer to all sparkling wine as champagne, the truth is that only the sparkling wine that comes from the city of Champagne in France can be called Champagne. I learned that years ago while working for Singapore Airlines.
And I did visit Champagne a long time ago. I loved to travel and one of my trips was to this beautiful country France. We traveled from Paris, down to Lourdes, Marseilles, Monte Carlo, Niece, Bordeaux, Champagne. Then on to Brussels in Belgium and back to Paris. While in Champagne I visited the winery Krug Grand Cuvee Champagne. And it was such a wonderful experience. I still remember it so fondly. The trip took us 27 days and it was so beautiful!.
There is something about champagne that says - luxury! Doesn't it? I think these are perfect for any special occasion such as Mother's Day or Valentine's Day, even a wedding and of course birthdays!!
About these cupcakes
These are light and airy butter-based cupcakes that are absolutely delicious on their own. I often have to make a few extra because we do love eating the unfrosted cupcakes for snack.
While you can use champagne just out of the bottle, making a reduction truly helps add so much more flavor to these cupcakes. I once made 100 of these cupcakes and I'm so glad that I did take the trouble to add a champagne reduction because everyone kept asking me how I managed to get the flavor so intense.
Of course, I think champagne buttercream is the best with these cupcakes and yet, you can use almost any other frosting with these. I found that Italian and Swiss meringue worked wonderfully, while French and German buttercream overpowered the cupcakes. American is sweet but absolutely delicious too. I once made white champagne cupcakes (minus the cherry and pink color) with white Ermine frosting for a wedding. So pretty!
Ingredients and substitutes
- Champagne - Yes, we do use Champagne! I'll just say - please use good champagne as it will contribute to the taste as much as to flavor.
- Cherries - A secret ingredient just like my Champagne Buttercream. It adds a slight flavor but also gives that ever so pretty pink tinge. If you don't have cherries - just add a drop of pink food color gel.
- Food color - I don't always use food color. I like the little ting of color I get from the cherries. And yet, in this post, I have used a dash of pink just so the camera would pick on the pink. (It would be weird calling them Pink Champagne cupcakes if they didn't look pink right?)
Step by step instructions
Champagne reduction (cupcakes & buttercream)
- Crush the cherries slightly to bruise them. Place champagne and cherries in a saucepan on low heat. Reduce the liquid to almost ⅓ of its original quantity. Set aside covered to cool.
Tip - by reducing the liquid we intensify the flavor while still keep the quantity the same. - Use the amount requested in each recipe for the cupcake as well as buttercream.
Cupcake
- Preheat oven to 320 F / 160 C / Gas Mark 3. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Dry ingredients - In a bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder - set aside.
Tip - sifting the dry ingredients will produce light and airy cupcakes. - In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Tip - make sure the butter is room temperature or it will be lumpy. - Add eggs one at a time. Followed by the champagne extract and vanilla extract.
- Then, add flour mixture and champagne reduction in two batches. The batter must be dropping consistency (not too thick). If necessary add 2 tablespoons of milk.
Tip - depending on the size of the eggs you may or may not need the milk. - Add pink food color and combine well.
Tip - the champagne naturally does not give a pink color, so we need to add a little pink. But, it's optional. - Divide the batter between 12 to 15 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Keep in the pan for 5 to 7 minutes then cool on a cooling rack.
Tip - always cool cakes and cupcakes completely before decorating or the frosting will melt.
Champage buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for a minute until creamy.
- Add the champagne reduction, salt, champagne extract, and vanilla extract - whip a minute more
- Next, add powdered sugar one cup at a time until light and fluffy. If necessary you can add more champagne or whipped cream for consistency.
Tip - If you want to pipe firm swirls I recommend not adding too much liquid. - If necessary add whipped cream for consistency.
Decorate
- Fill a piping bag with buttercream and a large star piping tip/nozzle. Pipe a generous swirl on each cupcake.
- You can decorate them with strawberries or fresh fruits. I preferred to keep them without anything.
Frequently asked questions
Bake them until just done - over-baking can dry them out.
Use ingredients like sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt, apple sauce that help keep the cupcakes moist.
Add simple syrup to cupcakes before frosting.
There are a few things you can do - we discussed it in this post -- how to avoid cupcake liners peeling after baking.
There are few things you can do to bake similar size cupcakes - we discussed that in detail here - How to bake same size cupcakes.
Well, Champagne does have alcohol but if you break it down it's a sparkling grape juice! Right? So go ahead and use any non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice you like. Nowadays you get a big selection of these on the market. We often buy these for the kids when we want to celebrate with champagne so the kids don't feel left out. You can do the same reduction as we did with champagne.
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Printable Recipe
Pink Champagne Cupcakes
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Ingredients
Champagne reduction
- 3 cups (700 ml) Champagne
- 4 Cherries
Cupcakes
- 5 oz (140 g) Unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) Sugar
- 1 ¼ cup (150 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 Eggs large
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) Champagne reduction above
- ½ teaspoon Clear vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Champagne extract optional
- 2 drops Pink food color optional
Champagne Buttercream
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Champagne reduction above
- 8 oz (225 g) Butter unsalted, room temperature
- 4 cup (480 g) Powdered sugar confectioners sugar
- ¼ tsp Champagne extract optional
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4 drops Pink food gel color
- 2 tablespoon Whipping cream or milk (if necessary)
Instructions
Prepare champagne reduction
- Crush the cherries slightly to bruise them. Place champagne and cherries in a saucepan on low heat. Reduce the liquid to almost ⅓ of its original quantity. Set aside covered to cool.Tip - by reducing the liquid we intensify the flavor while still keep the quantity the same.
- Use the amount requested in each recipe for the cupcake as well as buttercream.
Prepare Cupcake Batter
- Preheat oven to 320 F / 160 C / Gas Mark 3. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Dry ingredients - In a bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder - set aside.Tip - sifting the dry ingredients will produce light and airy cupcakes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Tip - make sure the butter is room temperature or it will be lumpy.
- Add eggs one at a time. Followed by the champagne extract and vanilla extract.
- Then, add flour mixture and champagne reduction in two batches. The batter must be dropping consistency (not too thick). If necessary add 2 tablespoons of milk. Tip - depending on the size of the eggs you may or may not need the milk.
- Add pink food color and combine well. Tip - the champagne naturally does not give a pink color, so we need to add a little pink. But, it's optional.
- Divide the batter between 12 to 15 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Keep in the pan for 5 to 7 minutes then cool on a cooling rack. Tip - always cool cakes and cupcakes completely before decorating or the frosting will melt.
Prepare Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for a minute until creamy.
- Add the champagne reduction, salt, champagne extract, and vanilla extract - whip a minute more
- Next, add powdered sugar one cup at a time until light and fluffy. If necessary you can add more champange or whipped cream for consistency.Tip - If you want to pipe firm swirls I recommend not adding too much liquid.
- If necessary add whipped cream for consistency.
Frost the cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag with buttercream and a large star piping tip/nozzle. Pipe a generous swirl on each cupcake.
- You can decorate them with strawberries or fresh fruits. I preferred to keep them without anything.
Recipe Notes
About Champagne Reduction
If the final quantity of champagne reductions becomes less than you need for the recipes, top it with regular champagne or whipping cream.Tips for making perfect cupcakes
- Follow the recipe properly with minimum substitutions.
- Always use good quality ingredients.
- Make sure the ingredients are all at room temperature.
- Never over mix the batter.
- Use a scoop for baking similar size cupcakes.
- Always preheat the oven before baking - a hot oven works best for cupcakes.
- Bake cupcakes at the right temperature.
- Always bake cupcakes on the center rack one tray at a time.
- Never open the oven during baking - no peeking.
- Remove cupcakes from their pan no later than 7 to 10 minutes after baking.
- Store cupcakes properly after baking. Place them in an airtight container at room temperature. Cupcakes dry in the fridge unless wrapped properly with plastic wrap.
- Simple syrup the cupcakes if you don't plan to eat them on the same day.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Mother's Day Collaboration by #GlobalFoodies Bloggers
- Traditional Russian Crepe by Julia of Imagelicious.
- Apple Rose Puffs by Gloria of Homemade & Yummy.
- Nutella Banana Waffles by Arlene of Flour on my Face.
- and of course Pink Champagne Cupcakes with Pink Champagne Buttercream by ME!!
Carol
Dear...Thank u so.much for the recipe...Just a question...Would I be able to make a two layered cake...And if using just non alcoholic sparkling grape juice...Do I need to reduce it...Hoping for a reply soon
Veena Azmanov
Hey Carol. This is a small recipe so you won't get two layers of cake. Probably a 6-inch layer that you can divide into two. You will need to reduce any juice if you want a more concentrated flavor. Alternatively, you can only use 1/3 cup juice (the amount of the reduced liquid) Hope this helps.
Jess
It’s a yummy recipe but I’m curious as I followed the recipe to the letter except that I put it in a tin rather than cupcakes, The batter doesn’t really rise much at all and a very small batch, does that seem right? It’s a nice moist cake though.
Veena Azmanov
Hey Jess. Doesn't sound right. Usually, a 12 cupcake batter would be good with 125 grams flour and this one has 150 grams. So technically it is not a small batch. It should make a good full cupcake. And yes it does rise well.
Can you check if your leavening agent is still good? I have baked this more than once and it does make a decent size with a light and fluffy cupcake.
Cheryl
Can you make wedding cakes with this recipe? I have a friend that has requested it. I havnt found a good recipe yet. Thank You
Veena Azmanov
You can make Pink Champagne Cake for a wedding but this is a small batch - multiplying it over to make a larger batch make not be a great idea.