Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Karen

Today is my blog’s second birthday! It’s hard to believe that I’ve kept up with this hobby of mine for not one, but two years.

The second year has been a rewarding year for me, in terms of cooking as well as blogging. I’ve challenged myself with new dishes like chickpea falafels, Cantonese-style garlic chili prawns, and homemade salsa verde, and I’m hoping to continue to explore different recipes and cooking techniques. Plus my blog finally has a fresh new look that I have been wanting for a long time. I want take this opportunity to thank you for your support in trusting my recipes, liking them, pinning them, retweeting them!

And because no birthday is complete without cake, I’m sharing with you these Vanilla Cupcakes, topped with Pink Champagne Frosting, and showered with these colorful edible pearls I found in a baking supply store.

The base of these cupcakes is a moist, fluffy vanilla cake, which is a vehicle for probably any frosting. Champagne always makes everything more festive, don’t you think? These cupcakes are the quintessential cupcakes for celebrations: birthdays, New Year’s, baby showers, and Mother’s Day! You can use a brut champagne, or you can use a sweeter variety like Moscato or rosé. I just love the pink hue from the rosé!

Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes with Pink Champagne Frosting

Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Pink Champagne Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsps champagne
Red food coloring optional
Edible pearls or sprinkles
For the Vanilla Cupcakes:
1¼ cups cake flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean extract
½ cup canola oil
½ cup buttermilk

Instructions

To make the frosting:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix together butter and sugar on low speed until well blended. Add vanilla extract, champagne, and food coloring, and beat on medium speed until the ingredients are evenly incorporated and the frosting is smooth and creamy. Add more champagne if necessary to achieve desired consistency.
To make the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 F and line muffin tins with paper cups.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk to combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and canola oil. Add flour mixture in three portions, alternating with the buttermilk (beginning and ending with the flour), beating well after each addition.
Fill muffin tins to about two-third full. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

4 Comments

Rada
May 11, 2014 at 12:12 am · Reply

Congrats on two lovely years blogging!!
Jess
May 11, 2014 at 5:38 pm · Reply

Wow, how wonderful! I can barely keep a hobby let alone do it for two years! :)
huntfortheverybest
May 16, 2014 at 9:56 am · Reply

they look lovely!
- Karen
  May 22, 2014 at 9:40 am · Reply
  
  Thanks!