Makes: 12
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
200g/7 oz plain flour
150g/5½ oz caster sugar
150g/5½ oz butter
75ml/2½fl oz. sweet/fruity champagne
3 egg whites
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
For the frosting
250g/5½ oz icing sugar
125g/5 oz butter
125ml/4fl oz. sweet/fruity champagne
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F or Gas Mark 4.
Cream 150g/5½ oz of butter and caster sugar together.
In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, and salt) then, in three batches, starting and ending with the flour, mix the flour with the creamed butter and sugar, alternating with a little champagne (I have allowed 75ml/2fl. oz for this).
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a third of the stiffened whites into the batter mixture to lighten, then carefully fold in the remaining whites.
Fill cases two thirds full and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cocktail skewer comes out clean.
Remove from oven and put on wire rack to cool.
For the butter cream, bring 125ml/5fl oz. champagne to simmer in a small saucepan until it's reduced to about 2 tbsp.or 30ml/1fl. oz. Set to one side and allow to cool.
Make a standard butter cream by mixing 125g/4½ oz soft butter and 250g/9oz icing sugar with a tablespoon of champagne from the bottle, at room temperature, as well as the cooled, reduced champagne.
Put the butter cream into a piping bag with a large star nozzle and pipe swirls onto the cooled cupcakes
Decorate with gold dragees and gold glitter.
