New Year's Raspberry Champagne Cupcakes

I've been dreaming of doing a special post for New Year's... but wasn't sure if I'd make it in time.  Today... well, with nothing really on the agenda today, I decided to spend a few hours in the kitchen and make some cupcakes!

And... what better way to celebrate the New Year than with a big bottle of BUBBLY!  These cupcakes have a very strong champagne flavor but paired with the homemade raspberry filling they sure are a sweet treat!

Of course, these little cupcakes had to be all dressed up to celebrate 2012!  I melted white chocolate and created the cutest toppers for these cupcakes... perfect to ring in the New Year!

Since this will be my final post of 2011... I want to take this time to wish you all a very Happy 2012!  I hope all your dreams and wishes come true in this year year!

Love you all!

Raspberry Champagne Cupcakes
Makes 18-20 cupcakes

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sour cream

1 ¾ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup of your favorite champagne - I used Cook's Extra Dry for this recipe

pink food gel coloring

Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees.  Line cupcake pan with liners.

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and eggs until fluffy and smooth... at least 4-5 minutes.
2. Mix in the vanilla and sour cream.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the flour and champagne, alternating, as well as beginning and ending with the flour.   Mix only until combined.
5. At this point you can either add the pink food gel coloring or you can leave them white.  I did half white and half pink.  Mix the food gel only until combined... you don't want to overwork the batter.
6. Scoop into liners ⅔ full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool in pan for 2 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
8. Once cool, using an apple corer, remove the center of each cupcake and fill with raspberry filling.

Raspberry Filling
Makes enough to fill 2+ dozen cupcakes

1 bag of frozen raspberries
⅓ cup sugar
3-4 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon corn starch

1. In a large pan on the stove, melt the butter.
2. Add the raspberries, sugar and vanilla and cook for about 5 minutes on med-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
3. Once the sugar melts and the raspberries begin to bubble, in a 1 cup measuring cup, mix together with a fork 4-5 tablespoon of the raspberry mixture and the corn starch.  Add this mixture back to the pan with the remaining raspberries and stir until combined.
4. Bring mixture to a bubble/gentle boil then remove from the heat.  Stir every few minutes as it cools.
5. Cool completely before filling cupcakes.
6. To fill cupcakes:  place raspberry mixture into a piping bag and squeeze just enough filling into each cupcake.

Champagne Buttercream
Makes enough to frost 18 cupcakes

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup butter flavored shortening (you could use all butter if you wanted too)
1 ½ lbs powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
¼-1/2 cup Champagne (I used the same as what I put in the cupcakes)

1.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and shortening.
2. One cup at a time, add the powdered sugar and mix on high until smooth.
3. Add the vanilla and salt and mix until combined.
4. Add ¼ cup of champagne and mix on high until smooth.  Add remaining champagne until you get the consistency you desire.
5. Mix frosting on high for 1-2 minutes until fluffy and the color brightens.
6. Pipe frosting onto your cupcakes and decorate!

And here they are all dressed up for a client to enjoy!  Happy 2012!