Friday, January 6, 2012

Champagne Bellini - A Cupcake for the Adults!


One of my friends has been asking me to try baking a champagne cupcake.  I am not terribly fond of the bubbly, but I was curious to find out what a cupcake based on alcohol would taste like.  That's when I thought of adding the peach flavor.  I do love Bellinis!  I thought I was so smart thinking up this combination for a cupcake.  However, as it turns out, it's been done before.  In fact, I've discovered through Google that most cocktail drinks have a cupcake counterpart!  Fortunately, in the baking world there's room for everyone's experiments, and so here is my try at a Bellini Cupcake with Peach Filling topped with Champagne Buttercream Icing.
Champagne Cupcakes

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 egg whites
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup champagne
1/2 cup peach nectar

Preheat oven to 350.  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.  In a separate bowl, mix together champagne and nectar, set aside, also.  Beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).  On medium speed add half of flour mixture, then liquid, then the rest of the flour.  Beat on high speed for a minute or so until batter is smooth.  Fill cupcake liners approximately 2/3 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.  While cupcakes are baking and cooling, begin making the peach filling.


Peach Filling

2 15 oz cans of Peaches in 100% juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar

In a skillet, melt butter.  Drain can of peaches and add them to the butter.  Add sugar and cook until peaches have broken down and mixture thickens and becomes a filling type consistency.  Let cool completely before filling the cupcakes.  


After filling and cupcakes have completely cooled, use a knife to cut a small, circular hole in the middle of the cupcakes.  Remove circular section.  You will not need these bits, so feel free to "taste test"  them!  Spoon peach filling into the hole.


Champagne Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter at barely room temperature
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1/4 cup champagne
2 tablespoons peach nectar

Using a mixer, beat the butter until it is creamy.  Add three cups of the sugar one at a time and beat until fully incorporated with butter.  Begin on low speed (so the sugar won't fly everywhere) and work up to medium.  Add champagne and peach nectar along with last cup of sugar.  Beat until smooth.  If you'd like your icing a bit thinner, add more peach nectar.  If you'd like it thicker, use less.


Fill a pastry bag with the buttercream icing and pipe onto cupcake.  Garnish with a cherry if you'd like!


Wow, are these amazing cupcakes!  The champagne flavor is sweet and light and the cake has a nice texture.  This is a DELICOUS grown-up treat I think you'll enjoy.  Give them a try!



I shared this recipe with:

Cast Party Wednesday

Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

8 comments:

  1. woa.. nice one! I particularly love the perfect icing on top! :)

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  2. Thank you, Kavi! It's amazing how professional icing can look with the right pastry bag tip! ;)

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  3. These look delicious! Love that they have the filling inside.

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    1. Thank you so much, Meg! They are soooo good! Champagne Buttercream is the way to go! Thanks for stopping by Life Is Sweets!! :)

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  4. CONGRATULATIONS! Your recipe was one of the top 5 most viewed at CAST PARTY WEDNESDAY last week. Please come over, grab a button and party with us!
    ---Sheryl---
    http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/?page_id=1844

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    1. Oh, so exciting!! Thank you very much! Thank you, also, for hosting the party. :) I'll be over to post something new for this week!!

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  5. Hi Debbie,
    Your Champagne Bellini looks amazing. I just love the peach filling, peaches is one of my favorite. I can't wait to make your recipe! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week end and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

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    1. Thank you so much, Miz Helen! Peaches are one of my favorite fruits, too. I'll be back tomorrow for Full Plate Thursday!!

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