Stuffed Champagne Cupcakes

Surprise!

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Yields: 16-18 cupcakes

Ingredients

• Cupcakes

• 1  cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2  cups sugar
• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 cup  champagne
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5  large  egg whites, whipped to a stiff peak

• Decorations and filling

• 1  cup sugar, and edible decorations (mixed gold, white and silver sanding sugar)
• 4  cups  vanilla  buttercream frosting
•  sugar, for topping (silver and gold sanding sugar)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Insert gold liners into a medium cupcake pan; set aside.
2. In a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk to sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Turn mixer speed to low and add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the Champagne. Stir in the vanilla extract then remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1/3 of the whipped egg whites until completely combined, then add the remaining egg whites and fold until well incorporated.
4. Fill cupcake liners with batter 3/4 to the top and bake until set, about 22-24 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Use a medium star piping tip to remove the center of the cake, making sure not to cut all the way through to the bottom. Alternately, use the tip of a small sharp knife to cut a hole in the middle of each cupcake, making sure to keep the sides and bottom intact. Remove the piece of cake and fill the hole with a spoonful of the mixed edible decorations. Replace cake to cover hole and use a pastry bag fitted with a medium star (Wilton 190) tip to pipe on frosting. Sprinkle the top with more sanding sugar and serve.