Just a quick post before I hit the road to Cape Cod and do my best to beat this snow! I had seen a few recipes for “champagne cake” and couldn’t think of a better dessert to bring to our New Year’s Eve party tonight.

I got the recipe from Sandra Lee, the queen of cocktails, and the cupcakes taste great, but there really isn’t much of a champagne flavor. I don’t mind, it’s just fun to say they’re champagne cupcakes. I didn’t add champagne extract to the frosting as Sandra recommends, I just used plain ol’ vanilla, but for half of them I mixed in some raspberry jam and a little pink food coloring since raspberries and champagne are such a classic combination.

To add some glitz to the white cupcakes, I printed out a sheet of “2010” written in a font I liked, put it under a piece of parchment paper, traced the numbers by piping melted white chocolate, and then added pink sparkling sugar galore. Once they dry, you simply peel them off the parchment paper and stick them into the frosting.

No idea why I went for a pink theme, but I guess the raspberries inspired me. Looking back I might have chosen a simpler color palate — blackberries and silver maybe? But these are certainly still festive (and delicious).

Cheers to a happy and safe New Year’s!! See ya in 2010!

Champagne Cupcakes(courtesy of Sandra Lee)

1 box white cake mix
1-1/4 cups dry champagne
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large egg whites
1 can vanilla frosting
2 tbsp red raspberry jam
24 raspberries
White chocolate candy melts
Pink sparkling sugar

– Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake tins for 24 cupcakes
– Beat cake mix, champagne, vegetable oil, and egg whites together for 2 minutes
– Divide batter evenly into cupcake liners and bake for approximately 20 minutes (or until cake tester comes out clean)
– Divide frosting into 2 bowls and mix the jam and food coloring into 1 half, leaving the other half white
– After the cupcakes have cooled, frost them and decorate as you wish!

For the chocolate 2010’s (I did this ahead of time):
– Print out a sheet of the numbers “2010” in a font and size you like
– Put the paper on a cookie sheet, and cover with parchment paper
– Melt white chocolate according to package’s instructions and transfer to a pastry bag with a small tip
– Trace the numbers onto the parchment paper, making sure all of the numbers touch each other so that they can be picked up in 1 piece
– Sprinkle with sugar/sprinkles while still wet
– Place in the fridge for 5 minutes to dry, and stick ’em on the cupcakes when they’re ready!