Champagne Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting and A Giveaway!

Today I'm celebrating 2 years of blogging! It really does only seem like yesterday that I started. So much has happened the past two years.

Leaving the island life for mainland Oregon is one of the major events that has occurred.

With doing so, I know that I haven't posted as often as I did the first year of blogging. With the hustle and bustle of a move, definite loss of natural light for photos (have I mentioned that it rains in Oregon...... a lot!), and having to find the creativity to produce new and fresh ideas for recipes have all factored into that.

I'm so glad you continue to stop by here and take the time to check-out what I'm doing on this little ol' blog of mine. It means so much to me....

So to say thank you, I'm giving away three, $25 e-gift cards for your use at:

Williams-Sonoma

*This Giveaway Has Ended*

All you need to do is leave a comment telling me what you would use the Williams-Sonoma e-gift card on, should you win. 

Please leave an email address with your comment for me, if you do not have a blog with contact information, as I will need to contact you if you win. 

Rules

One entry per person, please.
This contest ends on Monday, February 4th at 8pm Pacific Time.
The winner will be selected randomly.

*This giveaway is sponsored by me, So Domesticated.

Good Luck!

Now, I decided to make cupcakes instead of a cake for this celebration, just 'cause I LOVE CUPCAKES! Honestly, I believe pretty much everyone loves cupcakes. If you don't, it kinda means you're a bad, bad person. 

Just kidding. Anyway...

To make these extra special I decided to use Prosecco in them.

Can you say YUM!?!

I wanted my girls to be able to eat them, so I made a vanilla bean frosting, as opposed to a champagne frosting. FABULOUS! 

I hope you'll make these the next time you have a celebration... you will LOVE them! 

I Promise.

Champagne Cupcakes

• 2 1/4 Cups Cake Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Salted Butter, Softened
• 1 1/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
• 3 Egg Whites, Room Temperature
• 1 1/2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 Cup Champagne or Prosecco, Room Temperature

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, powder, soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg whites. Add the vanilla and Champagne or Prosecco. Add the cake flour mixture a little at a time until just combined, scrapping down the sides of the bowl. Don't over mix. 

Evenly distribute the batter between two lined cupcake or muffin pans. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cupcakes are done. Makes 20-22 cupcakes. Cool completely on wire racks and frost.

Vanilla Bean Frosting

• 1 Cup (2 Sticks) Salted Butter, Softened
• 4 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream, Room Temperature
• 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, Sifted
• 1 Whole Vanilla Bean

In a large bowl, cream the butter, whipping cream, and vanilla until combined and fluffy, making sure to scrap the sides of the bowl down. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Mix until the frosting comes together. Take the vanilla bean and cut it lengthwise. Scrape as much of the vanilla seeds out as you can and add to the frosting mixture. Mix the frosting to disburse the seeds. Frosts 24 cupcakes. If piping, you may want to double the recipe, to be sure you have enough frosting.

So not to waste the vanilla bean, I scrape whatever seeds I've missed and mix it in with 1 cup of granulated sugar to make vanilla sugar. Throw in the vanilla bean, too. Store in an airtight container and use in tea or add to heavy whipping cream to make vanilla whipped cream to top your pies or ice cream with!

Enjoy!