Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes

I like strawberries AND champagne but the idea of drinking strawberry champagne just didn’t enthuse me. What does one do when they don’t want to drink a particular booze [this bottle was given to me with the intentions of me finding a good use for it] they cook with it! I’d call that a good use for it.

 Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes adapted from Love and Olive Oil

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 C. AP Flour
• 1/2 t. Salt
• 1/2 t. Baking Soda
• 1/2 t. Baking Powder
• 1/3 C. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• 1/3 C. Strawberry Champagne
• 1/3 C. Strawberry Puree
• 3/4 C. Sugar
• 1/3 C. Unsweetened Apple Sauce (to replace Vegetable Oil)
• 1/2 t. Vanilla Extract

For Frosting:

• 1 C. Strawberry Champagne
• 1/2 C. (1 Stick) Unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into Tablespoons
• 2 C. Confectioner’s Sugar
• 8 oz. Fat-Free Cream Cheese, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with 12 paper liners.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

In another bowl, whisk together almond milk, champagne, strawberry puree, sugar, apple sauce and vanilla extract. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fill paper liners with ~1/4 C. of the batter (about 2/3 of the way full). Bake for 20-22 minutes or until set. Transfer cupcakes to cooking rack.

To make the frosting, bring champagne to a simmer in a saucepan. Allow champagne to reduce to about 2-3 T. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Add champagne and mix. Finally add block of softened cream cheese and beat until the desired consistency is reached. Transfer frosting into piping bag (or Ziplock bag with corner cut off). Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.

Makes 12 regular size cupcakes.