These almond champagne cupcakes are light and fluffy. Almond flavor comes from the use of almond meal, almond extract, and almond champagne (which is used in the batter and as a syrup to brush on the cupcakes and use in the frosting). These are the perfect treat to say goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015! Also, don't forget the sprinkles!
Preheat the oven for 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the almond champagne, buttermilk, and almond extract. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium, 3-5 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
Alternate between adding the flour and champagne mixture to the batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Pour ¼ cup of batter into each liner and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
For the frosting & champagne syrup:
Add 1 ½ cups champagne to saucepan and heat on medium-high until reduced to 3 tablespoons. Let cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter, 1 tablespoon of champagne, 2 tablespoon of the reduced champagne, and 3 cups of the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the remaining powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
To assemble:
Poke a few holes in the cupcake with a fork. Brush cupcake tops with the remaining tablespoon of reduced champagne.
Top the cupcakes with the frosting. Add sprinkles and enjoy!
Notes
I didn't have buttermilk on hand, so I made my own by squeezing some lemon juice into a ¼ cup of milk and then let it sit for 5 minutes.
Recipe by Just J.Faye at https://www.justjfaye.com/2014/12/29/almond-champagne-cupcakes/