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Strawberry Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream for Spiked! Recipe Challenge

Strawberry Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream | The Redhead Baker

Earlier this month, I saw on The Frugal Foodie Mama's blog that she, along with This Gal Cooks, were hosting the first ever Spiked! Recipe Challenge.

Alcohol can lend great flavor to sweet and savory recipes, so the Spiked! Recipe Challenge encourages bloggers to create or adapt a recipe to include alcohol. The January challenge was to include champagne (or other sparkling wine).

This was perfect for me, because I had half a bottle of leftover champagne from New Years. (I know, I know — leftover wine?!? What's that?!?) I even had a general idea in mind. I wanted to play on the traditional pairing of strawberries and champagne.

I considered trying my strawberry macarons again, with champagne buttercream filling. But with limited time to get the perfect results, I decided to make strawberry cupcakes with champagne buttercream frosting.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream | The Redhead Baker

The fresh strawberries make these cupcakes so moist with a bright flavor. I used frozen strawberries to make my puree, but during peak strawberry season, fresh strawberries will work just as well. The puree turns these cupcakes a beautiful shade of pink. It's your choice whether to strain the strawberry seeds out of the puree or not. I chose not to, and didn't find the seeds bothersome.

Reducing the champagne concentrates the flavor of the wine, so you can add more flavor without affecting the consistency of the icing. Boiling also burns off some of the alcohol content, but  not all of it. It's a small amount of alcohol in the big picture, so I promise not to judge if you let your kids have a taste.

Strawberry Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream | The Redhead Baker

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ang

Thursday 17th of January 2013

Oh Coleen, these look divine! I pinned your recipe to my new Champagne board (http://pinterest.com/angelamarit/champagne-recipes/) and can't wait to give these a try!! Happy Thursday! ang jugglingactmama.blogspot.com

Coleen

Thursday 17th of January 2013

Thank you, Ang!

Janelle King

Wednesday 16th of January 2013

You can never go wrong with champagne and cupcakes. This look so decadent. New fan from Never Dessert You.

Coleen

Wednesday 16th of January 2013

Thanks for stopping by, Janelle!

Raquel @ Organized Island

Wednesday 16th of January 2013

Yes please! Those look SO good! I love cupcakes and like that you used the champagne in the frosting!

Kira @ my sesame seed buns

Tuesday 15th of January 2013

I love your cupcakes. They look delicious! I'm a fellow contestant...Come visit me at My Sesame Seed Buns sometime! Good Luck!

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