Champagne Mini Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream

A group of Champagne Mini Cupcakes with swirled white and gold frosting sits on a white plate. The cupcakes have a shiny, glittery appearance, perfect for celebrations.

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Champagne Mini Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream

These champagne cupcakes are light and tender with a subtle champagne flavor and a silky buttercream that adds a sweet, celebratory finish.

Course Dessert

Keyword butter cream cupcakes, Champagne cupcakes, cupcakes with frosting

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 12

Total Time 37

Servings

Calories 127

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

For the Mini Cupcakes:

2/3 cup champagne or sparkling wine Brut or Extra Brut
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup champagne reduction from above
¼ cup heavy cream or whole milk

For the Champagne Buttercream:

10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2.5 to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
2½ tablespoons champagne reduction from above
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt to taste
Edible gold glitter spray for a festive finish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small saucepan, simmer 2/3 cup champagne over medium heat until it reduces to 6 tablespoons total (about 10–12 minutes).
Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 24-cup mini muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
In a small cup, combine ¼ cup champagne reduction with ¼ cup cream or milk.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the champagne-cream mixture. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just cobined—do not overmix.
Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3 full (about 1 tablespoon of batter).
Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
In a medium bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually add 2.5 cups of confectioners’ sugar, mixing on low after each addition.
Add the champagne reduction and vanilla extract, then beat until fluffy and smooth.
Adjust the texture by adding more sugar (to thicken) or a splash of cream (to loosen), as needed.
Add a pinch of salt to taste to balance the sweetness.
Pipe the buttercream onto cooled cupcakes using a piping bag fitted with a star tip (like Wilton 1M or 2D).
Hold your edible gold glitter spray about 6–8 inches away and mist a light coat over the frosted cupcakes for a sparkly finish.
Let the glitter dry for a few minutes before serving or storing.

Notes

Erren’s Top Tips

Don’t skip cooling the champagne reduction — warm reduction can melt the butter in the batter.
If the batter seems slightly thick, that’s okay. Overmixing will toughen the crumb.
Use a small cookie scoop for even cupcake sizes.
For extra champagne flavor, brush the tops of the cooled cupcakes lightly with a teaspoon of reduction before frosting.

Variations & Add-Ins

Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes: Fold ¼ cup finely diced strawberries into the batter.
Rosé Cupcakes: Replace the champagne with sparkling rosé for a soft pink hue.
White Chocolate Drizzle: Drizzle melted white chocolate over the frosted cupcakes for a luxe finish.
Confetti Version: Add 2 tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles to the batter for birthday celebrations.

Storage & Freezing

Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then frost fresh.
You can freeze the champagne reduction in an airtight container for future batches.

Nutrition