REVISED: Champagne & Chambord Cupcakes

I don't often repeat recipes, but I was commissioned to make some cupcakes for a wedding shower and wanted to retry these Champagne & Chambord cupcakes I made last February. The cakes were a bit dry the first time I made them, so I tweaked the recipe this time and they came out even better! I didn't tint the frosting as dark because the bride's colors were light green and peach. The cupcakes were a hit at the party, so these are a must try!

ORIGINAL POST:

I was asked to bake cupcakes for a coworker's baby shower yesterday in the office, and I jumped at the opportunity to try out a new recipe. I've made cupcakes for many small office parties before, and I've noticed that all of the people in my group (who are women) seem to prefer fruit flavors over chocolate ones.

These delicious cupcakes feature a champagne cake filled with a fresh raspberry puree and topped with a Chambord buttercream...sooo delicious! I received great feedback on these cupcakes - everyone seemed to really like them! I think they would be perfect to make again for New Year's Eve, don't you?

(click to enlarge)

Champagne & Chambord cupcakes {updated recipe}
makes 24 cupcakes

For the cupcakes...

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 egg whites
• 1 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup champagne
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line cupcake tin with 24 paper liners. (I used these gorgeous black and white ivy liners - they complimented the fuchsia frosting nicely.)
2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of your standing mixer until they are light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Reduce the speed to lowand add the milk, champagne and vanilla extract.
6. Slowly add the bowl of dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
7. Fill each liner and bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

For the filling...

• about 12 oz of fresh raspberries
• 6-8 tablespoons of sugar

1. Combine half of the raspberries with the sugar and puree it. I used my food processor and let it go for about a minute or so.
2. Stick it in the fridge to cool and get a bit thicker. 
3. Once the cupcakes and the puree have cooled, use a cupcake corer to create a hole in the center of each cupcake. Be careful not to poke all the way to the bottom or the puree will spill out of the cupcakes! 
4. Using a small spoon, gently fill the center of each cupcake with a bit of puree until it reaches the top of the cake.
5. Save the other half of the raspberries to decorate your cupcakes with.

For the frosting... (this will give you more than enough so you can pile it on high)

• 4 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8-10 cups of confectioner's sugar
• 12 tablespoons of champagne
• 6 teaspoons Chambord
• fuchsia food coloring gel
• silver luster dust

1. Beat the butter until it's light and fluffy.
2. Add the champagne and Chambord.
3. Add the sugar one cup at a time until the frosting reaches a nice consistency.
4. Add a little bit of food coloring gel at a time until it's the color you want and beat until it's all blended in.
5. Decorate with raspberries and silver luster dust for a beautiful cupcake!