Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

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This is a easy, quick recipe for unique and gourmet cupcakes! It starts with a store bought box of strawberry cake mix and ends in beautiful couture Strawberry Champagne cupcakes. This is the perfect dessert to make the morning you find yourself with some already opened champagne left over from the night before!

Ingredients:

1 box strawberry cake mix

1 cup sparkling wine or champagne

1 block of Philadelphia cream cheese

1 stick room temperature butter (I would not recommend margarine, it does not taste the same)

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (confectioners)

1 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)

strawberrychampagnecupcakes

Cake Instructions:

1. Prepare the cake mix as instructed, but substitue the 1 cup of champagne for the 1 cup of water that the cake mix calls for.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT use water and champagne, substitute the champagne for water.

2. Pour into cupcake molds and bake according to instructions.

For the Frosting:

1. Place the block of cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and whip until softened. Add the stick of butter and whip together until blended well.

2. Add 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar to the cream cheese mixture and whip until blended completely and frosting is smooth and fluffy.

3. Place frosting in a icing bag and use to frost cooled cupcakes. The optional food coloring is to dye the frosting pink or red, if you wish. You can top the frosting with pink sprinkles or a fresh slice of strawberry if you wish.

Santa Claus Christmas Cupcakes

Kids will be so thrilled to help make these cute Christmas cupcakes!

Prep Time: 40 Min

Total Time: 1 Hr 30 Min

Makes: 24 cupcakes

1 package of cake mix (you can use any flavor)
Water, Oil & Eggs as instructed on the cake mix packaging
1 tub (160z) Vanilla frosting (or any flavor that is white: cream cheese, buttercream etc)
2 tablespoons red decorating sugar
48 chocolate chips
24 red hot candies (or any red cinnamon candies)
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows (about 144)
  • Heat oven to 350°F. Use a cupcake baking tray and place 24 paper baking cups. Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 45 minutes or until completely cooled.
  • Spread frosting over cupcakes generously to create a beard for Santa.
  • Sprinkle top 1/3 of each cupcake with about 1/8 teaspoon decorating sugar to form Santa’s hat.
  • To make Santa’s face, place chocolate chips for eyes and cinnamon candy for nose.
  • Cut 2 marshmallows in half lengthwise; arrange to form rim of hat.
  • Cut 4 marshmallows in half crosswise; cover lower part of cupcake to form beard.

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Gobble Gobble Thanksgiving Cupcakes

Start out by making 24 chocolate cupcakes with store-bought cake mix, as instructed on the box. Then do decorate them with these cute turkeys, follow the instructions below.

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What you’ll need for the decorative part:

  • Nutter Butter cookies
  • Store bought chocolate frosting
  • Bag of mini Chocolate Chips
  • 2 Packages of Fruit Roll Ups (assorted would be best so you can get all the colors for the feathers)
  • 1 box of toothpicks
  1. For the turkey body, push the lower portion of a Nutter Butter cookie into a frosted cupcake.
  2. Place tiny dabs of frosting where you want the eyes to be and stick a mini-chocolate chip and red fruit leather wattle (cut this out of a fruit roll up).
  3. For the turkey’s tail, use a knife to cut out a dozen feather shapes (about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide) from the fruit roll ups, assorted colors would be best.
  4. Lay 6 of the feather shapes on a flat surface and place a wooden toothpick lengthwise atop each so that one end of the toothpick extends about an inch below the feather. Layer another fruit leather feather layer atop each of the 6 shapes, sandwiching the toothpicks between them.
  5. Push the two layers together to make them stick, then fringe the edges of the feather with a knife. Then stick the colored feathers into the cupcake behind the cookie head.

 

Creepy Crawly Halloween Cupcakes

These fun and festive cupcakes are SUPER easy to make! They can be made with any flavor cake mix, and any white frosting (even pre-made from the store).

Ingredients:

  • 1 Box Cake Mix
  • 1 container white frosting
  • 1 bag M&Ms
  • 1 tube of brown or black decorating icing

1. Make 24 cupcakes using a box of cake mix (any flavor you wish).

2. After cupcakes cool, frost.

3. Use M&Ms and icing to create spiders, centipedes and other fun creatures for creepy crawly cupcakes!

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Easter Bunny Cupcakes

1 container (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

Assorted food coloring & egg dyes

2 cups flaked coconut

12 unfrosted cupcakes

12 plain donut holes

12 large marshmallows

6 pink jelly beans, halved crosswise

Chocolate sprinkles

Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Tint frosting pink or blue, using 4 drops red or 4 drops NEON blue food color. Place coconut in resealable plastic bag. Add 4 drops red or 4 drops NEON blue food color to coconut in bag; shake until coconut is evenly tinted.

2. Spread top of each cupcake with tinted frosting. Press each cupcake into tinted coconut to cover top completely. Spread donut holes with remaining frosting. Press a donut hole into top of each cupcake to form the bunny’s head.

3. For the ears, cut a 1/4-inch slice off the flat ends of each marshmallow to make 24 slices. Dip cut sides of the marshmallow slices into the coconut until completely covered. (Reserve remaining marshmallow pieces.) Attach 2 marshmallow slices to the head of each bunny with frosting to create ears.

4. Press a jelly bean half into the face for the nose and sprinkles for the whiskers. Use the chocolate chips for the eyes. Press the plain marshmallow pieces into the cupcakes for the belly.

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Easter Chick Cupcakes

1 container (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

Assorted food coloring & egg dye

2 cups flaked coconut

12 unfrosted cupcakes

12 plain donut holes

1. Tint frosting yellow, using 18 drops yellow food color. Place coconut in resealable plastic bag. Add 12 drops yellow food color to coconut in bag; shake until coconut is evenly tinted.

 

2. Spread top of each cupcake with tinted frosting. Press opposite sides of each cupcake into tinted coconut. Spread donut holes with remaining frosting. Press a donut hole into top of each cupcake to form the chick’s head.

 

3. Press coconut on top of the head for feathers. Insert a candy corn or jelly bean half into the face for the beak. Use the chocolate chips for the eyes.

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12 pieces candy corn or 6 orange jelly beans, halved lengthwise

Miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Easy Easter Cupcakes

1 package (18 1/4 ounces) white cake mix

1 container (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

Flaked coconut (about 1 cup for each desired color)

1. Prepare and bake cake mix as directed on package for cupcakes. Cool on wire racks. Frost cupcakes.

 

2. Place coconut in large resealable plastic bag. Squeeze food color into coconut (use 5 to 6 drops desired food color to 1 cup coconut). Shake until color is evenly distributed.

 

3. Sprinkle frosted cupcakes with tinted coconut. Decorate as desired with candies.

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Easter Bunny Cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 20 Min

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup margarine, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 24 small chocolate eggs, unwrapped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Fill each muffin cup 1/3 full, and place a chocolate egg in the center of each. Top with remaining batter until cups are 2/3 full.
  3. Fill each muffin cup 1/3 full, and place a chocolate egg in the center of each. Top with remaining batter until cups are 2/3 full.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown, and tops spring back when lightly tapped.

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Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

Preparation Time:  25 minutes
Cooking Time:  30 minutes

Servings: 16

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • Frosting, recipe follows
  • 1 1/2 cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
  • Confectioners sugar, for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 40 cups from 2 (24-cup) mini cupcake pans or 16 cups from 2 regular-size (12-cup) muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.

Sift or whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and espresso powder until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix with a fork or small whisk. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners. The cups should be filled about 2/3-full, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 22 minutes for the mini cupcakes and about 25 minutes for the regular-size cupcakes. Cool the cupcakes in the pans for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Slice off the top 1/3 of each cupcake and slather with frosting and sliced strawberries. Place the top of the cupcake back on top and add an additional bit of frosting and sliced strawberries. Dust with confectioners sugar, if using.

Frosting:

  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, preferably organic
  • 1/2 cup margarine (recommended: Earth Balance Organic Soy-Free Non-Hydrogenated Buttery Spread) OR 1/2 cup refined coconut oil, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup water

Combine the confectioners’ sugar, margarine, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. With the mixer running, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until the desired buttercream consistency.

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Chocolate & Irish Cream Liqueur Cupcakes

Preparation Time:  10 minutes
Cooking Time:  27 minutes

Servings: 24

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Irish stout (recommended: Guinness)
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 2 cups dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • Irish Liqueur Frosting, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.

Place the stout and butter in a medium-size saucepan and whisk together on medium heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat. Sift the cocoa powder into a medium-size bowl and add the sugar. Slowly whisk into the stout mixture. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and lightly whisk until smooth. Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk thoroughly (it may appear lumpy). Sift the flour and baking soda together in another small bowl and then add it to the saucepan, mixing a final time until the color is even.

Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter and bake until the cakes spring back after touching, about 27 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in their pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

To assemble: Pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes using a large plain tip. Dust with cocoa powder if preferred.

  • This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Irish Liqueur Frosting:

  • 1 pound unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons Irish cream liqueur (recommended: Baileys)
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar

Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until pale. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the Irish liqueur in a steady stream. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until a creamy consistency is achieved.

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