Sparkling Champagne Cupcakes

I've found the perfect cupcake to help you bring in the new year: Champagne Cupcakes! I love when the new year time rolls around. It's a time full of hope and new beginnings. Everyone gets a fresh start. Excitement is in the air as you make those resolutions, maybe you'll accomplish something that seems impossible. Go ahead, get those extra pounds off or, find your soulmate, quit smoking, pay of those debts, and take a chance on your dreams (you can do it). Whatever it may be, I wish everyone the best of luck and the happiest 2013. As you celebrate tonight, I hope you are surrounded by people you love. Raise your glass and make a toast: Here's to 2013, I hope yours is blessed. 

Recipe from sprinklebakes.com (here's the link - Sparkling Champagne Cupcakes)

Ingredients

for the cupcakes

1/2 c. butter, softened

1c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 3/4c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2  c. champagne, prosecco or sparkling wine.

for the creme filling

1/2 c. heavy cream, divided

1/2 c. champagne or prosecco

2  Tbsp. cornstarch

5 Tbsp. sugar

1 whole egg

2 egg yolks

2 Tbsp. butter, unsalted

1 tsp. vanilla

for the  frosting

1 c. plus 1 Tbsp. champagne or prosecco

2 sticks of butter, softened

2 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Directions

For the cupcakes (makes approx. 17 cupcakes)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in cupcake pans. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (this normally takes about 2 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup champagne and 1/2 cup sour cream (mixture will fizz a little). Add flour and champagne mixture alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Batter will be thick. Fill cupcake papers with 1/4 cup level measures of batter. Bake for 17-22 minutes. Set aside. 

For the creme filling

In a medium bowl, whisk cornstarch in 1/4 cup heavy cream. Combine the remaining heavy cream, sugar and 1/2 cup champagne in a sauce pan; bring to boil then remove from heat. Beat the whole egg and egg yolks into the cornstarch/heavy cream mixture. Pour 1/3 of boiling champagne mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly so the eggs do not cook. Return the remaining champagne/heavy cream mixture to a boil. Pour in the hot egg mixture in a stream, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and beat in the butter and vanilla. Cut a divot into the top of each cupcake and fill with pastry cream. Trim the cut-out pieces flat to make a "lid" and place on top of the filled divot. 

For the champagne frosting

Place 1 cup of champagne in a small sauce pan. Simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Transfer to a small bowl or cup and cool. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and powdered sugar together. Once the frosting is thick and fluffy, pour in the reduced 2 tbsp. champagne plus 1 tbsp. champagne from the bottle and mix well. Frost the cream filled cupcakes and decorate. 

Note: I used a prosecco for the cupcakes shown here. For those who don't know, prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine, it has a slightly sweeter flavor than champagne. The one I chose had flavors of peach and sweet apple. I thought it would work perfectly for these cupcakes. Feel free to use whatever you like. Trust me, you can't go wrong. 

Christmas Goodies

Happy Holidays! I want to celebrate by sharing some of my favorite Christmas cookie and candy recipes. I wish everybody the Merriest of Christmases and Happiest of New Years from the bottom of my heart. 

Mom's Molasses Cookies
3/4c. butter        2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar          1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg                1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4c. molasses  2 tsp. vanillla
2c. flour             1 tsp. salt

Directions:
     Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and egg. Add molasses, flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Chill dough 1-2 hours. Roll ball in brown sugar. Bake until light brown in a greased pan.

                               Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies

1/2 c. butter

1/2c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. chopped nuts

Directions

Preheat oven 325 degrees. Cream sugar and butter together; add dry ingredients. Add chopped nuts. Place rounded tablespoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm.

Fantasy Fudge

click on the description for recipe

Peanut Butter Blossoms

                          Turtle Cookies

English Toffee

White Chocolate Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Dark Chocolate Fudge Mint Cake

I came up with this cake recipe for my little brother's birthday. I can't believe he's 17 already. He loves mint chocolate chip ice cream, so this was definitely the perfect birthday cake for him. However, I really love this flavor combination for the holiday season. This recipe is perfect for a holiday party or a get together because it uses a cake mix. It is simple and easy to pull together if you're in a time crunch but it tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen making it from scratch. This cake is so decadent and rich, everyone will ask you for the recipe. Give it a try, you'll definitely be the hit of the party!

Ingredients

1 Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix

4 eggs

2/3c. butter, melted

1 c. milk

2 Tbs. strong coffee

Icing

4c. Powdered sugar

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp peppermint extract

dark chocolate, finely chopped

green food coloring

Glaze

1/2c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2-3 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour 2 8" or 9" round cake pans, set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, melted butter, eggs, milk and coffee. Mix well to combine all ingredients. Evenly divide cake batter between cake pans, bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

for the icing:

Cream together butter and powdered sugar in mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Add mint extract and finely chopped chocolate pieces, mix well. Add food coloring until desired color of green is reached. (To achieve mint color, use 12 drops of blue and 12 drops of yellow food coloring). If frosting is too stiff, add a small amount of milk until desired consistency is reached.

for the glaze:

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, butter, and milk. Microwave 30-45 seconds at a time until chocolate and butter are completely melted and glaze is shiny and smooth. Pour glaze on top of cake, spread to edges with spatula and let glaze run down sides of cake. Decorate as desired. Enjoy!