• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Curly Girl Kitchen
  • about
  • faqs
  • recipes
  • portfolio
  • work with me
  • contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

High Altitude Champagne Cupcakes

December 29, 2022 by Heather Smoke Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

High altitude champagne cupcakes, frosted with silky champagne buttercream, and topped with gold sugar pearls, sparkling sugar and edible gold leaf for a touch of glamour. These cupcakes are so soft and fluffy, with a wonderful champagne flavor from using champagne in the cake batter and champagne reduction in the buttercream. The perfect champagne dessert for a New Year’s Eve party!

You might also love this high altitude champagne cake, pink champagne cake, and grapefruit champagne granita.

Champagne cupcakes topped with gold candles.

This site contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means that I may make a small commission if you purchase a product using those links.  This in no way affects my opinion of those products and services.  All opinions expressed on this site are my own.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect for the Holidays. Make these festive champagne cupcakes for Christmas or New Year’s Eve to accompany glasses of bubbly champagne, or even for a wedding, anniversary party or bridal party.

Soft, Moist and Fluffy. I used my champagne cake as a starting point when creating these cupcakes, and everyone who has tasted the champagne cake has raved about the flavor and texture. The fizzyness of the champagne lightens the cake batter, making an incredibly soft, tender, light and fluffy cake with a delicate champagne flavor.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet.

Champagne cupcake with gold sugar pearls and sparkling sugar.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • Cake Flour. Cake flour, rather than all-purpose flour, makes a very soft, tender crumb that’s just irresistible.
  • Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture.
  • Baking Powder. Leavens the cake, making it rise.
  • Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
  • Champagne. Adds moisture, flavor and sweetness. The bubbles contribute to the light and airy texture of the cake.
  • Vegetable Oil. Adds moisture and keeps the cake soft and fluffy.
  • Eggs. Structure and richness.
  • Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
Champagne cupcake with a bite taken.

Buttercream

  • Champagne. By boiling the champagne first to reduce it down to a syrup, you’ll concentrate the flavor so that you can use it to flavor the buttercream without watering it down.
  • Butter. I use unsalted butter, but you can also use salted if you like.
  • Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
  • Meringue Powder. Adds stability.
  • Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
  • Decorations. To decorate my cupcakes, I used coarse white sparkling sugar, gold sugar pearls, and edible gold leaf.
Champagne cupcakes with sparkling sugar and gold sugar pearls.

Instructions

Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line your muffin pan with 12 paper liners, and lightly spray the bottoms of the liners with non stick baking spray.
  • In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  • Add the champagne, oil, egg, egg white and vanilla, and whisk for about 10-15 seconds until smooth and well combined. The batter will be fairly thin.
Step 1 for making champagne cupcakes.
Step 2 for making champagne cupcakes.
Step 3 for making champagne cupcakes.
  • Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup no more than 3/4 full.
  • Bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for several minutes, then gently remove the cupcakes from the pan and set them on a cooling rack. Cover the cupcakes loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.
Step 4 for making champagne cupcakes.
Step 5 for making champagne cupcakes.
Champagne cupcakes without frosting on a cooling rack.

Buttercream

  • For the champagne reduction, pour the champagne into a saucepan and set over medium heat. Simmer until the champagne is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Cool completely to room temperature.
Champagne in a glass measuring cup.
Champagne reduction in a glass measuring cup.
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for one minute, until smooth.
  • With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, the meringue powder, and vanilla. It will be clumpy. Add the cooled champagne reduction.
  • Increase the speed to medium, and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl several times, until very light and fluffy.
Bowl of champagne buttercream.
  • Fit a piping bag with tip 1M, fill with the buttercream, and pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.
  • Decorate with the sparkling sugar, sugar pearls and edible gold leaf.
Champagne cupcakes with sparkling sugar and gold sugar pearls.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make non alcoholic champagne cupcakes?

If you want to make this cake without champagne, try substituting another fizzy, bubbly liquid, such as Sprite, Ginger Ale, or a non-alcoholic sparkling beverage.

What is edible gold leaf?

This article by The Spruce Eats is full of helpful information.

Why do I need to make a champagne reduction for the buttercream?

To get the most champagne flavor into your buttercream without adding excessive liquid, you’ll need to make a champagne reduction. This simply means that you’ll be boiling the champagne down to let the water evaporate, leaving behind a concentrated champagne syrup.

What kind of champagne should I use?

There’s no need to buy an expensive bottle of champagne for your champagne cake, unless you really want to splurge. I’ve made champagne cakes with both Korbel and Martini & Rossi brands, which are pretty affordable and add wonderful flavor to the cake. A sweet champagne, rather than dry, adds the best flavor.

Champagne cupcakes with gold candles and gold sugar pearls.

You Might Also Like

Chocolate truffles on top of black and white chocolate cupcakes.
Black and White Chocolate Cupcakes
Grapefruit champagne granita in a glass surrounded by purple flowers.
Grapefruit Champagne Granita
Pink champagne cake with sparkling sugar and piped swirls of buttercream.
Pink Champagne Cake
Champagne cake with snowflakes and sugar pearls, surrounded by Christmas ornaments.
Champagne Cake

Favorite Products

Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!

Champagne cupcakes topped with gold candles.

High Altitude Champagne Cupcakes

Heather Smoke
High altitude tested champagne cupcakes, frosted with silky champagne buttercream, topped with gold sugar pearls and edible gold leaf.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings12

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
  • Standard Muffin Pan with 12 Cups

Ingredients
 

Cupcakes

  • 1 ½ cups cake flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • ¾ cup champagne
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream

  • 1 cup champagne, reduced to 1/4 cup
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • ½ tbsp meringue powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • coarse white sparkling sugar, gold sugar pearls, and edible gold leaf, for decorating

Instructions
 

Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line your muffin pan with 12 paper liners, and lightly spray the bottoms of the liners with non stick baking spray.
  • In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  • Add the champagne, oil, egg, egg white and vanilla, and whisk for about 10-15 seconds until smooth and well combined. The batter will be fairly thin.
  • Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup no more than 3/4 full.
  • Bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for several minutes, then gently remove the cupcakes from the pan and set them on a cooling rack. Cover the cupcakes loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream

  • For the champagne reduction, pour the champagne into a saucepan and set over medium heat. Simmer until the champagne is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Cool completely to room temperature.
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for one minute, until smooth.
  • With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, the meringue powder, and vanilla. It will be clumpy. Add the cooled champagne reduction.
  • Increase the speed to medium, and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl several times, until very light and fluffy.
  • Fit a piping bag with tip 1M, fill with the buttercream, and pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate with the sparkling sugar, sugar pearls and edible gold leaf.

Notes

  • If you want to make this cake without champagne, try substituting another fizzy, bubbly liquid, such as Sprite, Ginger Ale, or a non-alcoholic sparkling beverage.
Keyword Cake, Champagne, Christmas, Cupcakes, High Altitude, New Year’s Eve
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/

Filed Under: Christmas and Thanksgiving, Cupcakes

Previous Post: « High Altitude Gingerbread Loaf Cake with Eggnog Icing
Next Post: High Altitude One Layer Eggnog Pecan Cake »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome

I'm Heather, and welcome to my Colorado kitchen, where you will find high-altitude tested recipes for beautifully photographed cakes, baked goods and sweets. I believe that the kitchen is the heart of a home, and everyone is welcome in mine. So stay a while, sip a cup of coffee, and bake something delicious with me!

A graphic on how to make perfect American buttercream.
A graphic on how to stack, fill, crumb coat and frost layer cakes.

Recipe Index

  • Breads, Biscuits, Muffins and Doughnuts
  • Breakfast
  • Brownies and Bars
  • Cakes
    • Buttercream
    • Cake Decorating
    • Classic Cake Flavors
    • Holiday Themed Cakes
  • Candy and Snacks
  • Cheesecakes
  • Christmas and Thanksgiving
    • Christmas Cakes
    • Christmas Cookies
  • Cookies
  • Crisps, Crumbles, Cobblers and Puddings
  • Cupcakes
  • Drinks
  • Halloween
  • How To Guides and Resources
  • Ice Cream and Frozen Treats
    • Frozen Custard
    • Ice Cream Sandwiches
    • No Churn Ice Cream
    • Popsicles
  • Jams and Sweet Sauces
  • Pies and Tarts
  • Savory
A graphic on how I improved my food photography with Foodtography School.
A graphic on how to make flaky pie dough.

Recent Posts

  • High Altitude Raspberry Vanilla Cake
  • High Altitude Baked Chocolate Espresso Donuts
  • High Altitude Heart Shaped Chocolate Bundt Cake
  • High Altitude Homemade Graham Crackers
  • High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes
  • High Altitude Red Velvet Cake Whoopie Pies
  • Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
  • High Altitude Chocolate Sheet Cake
  • Rose Petal Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
  • Homemade Chocolate Fudge Pop Tarts

Archives

  • about
  • faqs
  • recipes
  • portfolio
  • work with me
  • contact

Footer

I'm Heather, and welcome to Curly Girl Kitchen, where you will find high-altitude tested recipes for beautifully photographed cakes and sweets. I believe that the kitchen is the heart of a home, and everyone is welcome in mine. So stay a while, sip a cup of coffee, and bake something sweet with me!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Privacy Policy

About

FAQs

Work With Me

Contact

Copyright © 2023 Curly Girl Kitchen on the Foodie Pro Theme