Weekend Baking Sunday!

What do you do with leftover champagne?

Seems like an odd question. I mean honestly... who ever has leftover champagne? Well... when you are in more of a rye and coke or beer crowd like I am... the answer would be... me!

So what better to do after New Years than make some cupcakes? Check them out!

**Now unfortunately I ran into a bit of oven related problems (mainly... it wanted to try and cook my cupcakes at over 500F... but these things happen!!) So even though I doubled the recipe, I only got about half of them, the rest had crispy bottoms (which was a blessing in disguise... HELLO cupcake trifle!? Thanks mum for salvaging those today and making an AWESOME dessert!!).

Isn't it cute?!

Champagne Cupcakes
(makes about 15 dozen regular sized cupcakes)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups white sugar

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

A good pinch of salt

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup Champagne

2 teapoon vanilla extract

4 egg whites

• In a mixing bow combine; flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl cream shortening with sugar anad vanilla. 
• Add milk and champagne alternately with flour mixture to shortening mixture.
• In a separate grease-free bowl whip egg whites to soft/firm peaks. Fold egg whites into batter.
• Fill cupcake liners about half to three-quarters full.
• Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until centre spring back when touched.

Champagne Icing

2 cups Champagne (or your favourite sparkling wine!)
1 cup butter (salt free!) (or for a lighter taste, use half vegetable shortening, half butter)
little pinch of salt
2-3 cups icing sugar
1 egg white
food colouring (optionnal!!)

• In a sauce pan bring chapagne to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it starts bubbling reduce to medium and simmer until reduced to approx. 2 tbsp (will be a corn syrup-like consistincy). This should take about 15 or 20 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, cream shortening / butter with salt.
• Start with 1 cup of icing sugar and cream until smooth. Keep adding until the icing sterts to become thick.
• Add the egg white and champagne reduction and beat until combined.
• Add remining icing sugar to reach your desired consistincy. (and colour if you want to!)
• Decorate and enjoy!!

This recipe is a compilation of recipes from The Food Network and Crumbly Cookie. Check the both out, some really unique ideas!!

Let me know what you think of the idea of using champagne in cupcakes! I absolutely had fun making them!

Cheeers! xoxo,
-Shelly