IC: Challenge--Pink Champagne Cupcakes w. Raspberry Bavarian Cream and Champagne Buttercream

For this month's Iron Cupcake Earth Challenge: Wine, I decide to whip up Pink Champagne Cupcakes with Raspberry Bavarian Cream filling. There is over 2 1/2 cups of rose champagne and champagne extract in these babies. The cake is super moist and resembles a chiffon cake with smooth creme filling and perfectly sweet champagne buttercream.

This month's challenge prizes are brought to us by:

a t-shirt from ETSY shop Dog Bone Art, A Polka Dot Apron from Sweet Cuppin Cakes and Cupcakery Supplies and a timely treat from UpWithCupcakes.com AND Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; the CUPCAKE COURIER http://www.cupcakecourier.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com. NEW, BEGINNING IN JANUARY; our new friends at UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/ will be providing our winner with one of their cute cupcake attitue t's! Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

When the voting opens I will let ya'll know so you can place your votes...

Recipe:

Champagne Cake:
(recipe adapted from Sandra Lee)

• 6 egg whites
• 3 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 to 10 drops pink or red food coloring
• 2 cups pink champagne (or regular champagne)

1. Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line muffin tin with liners. I used pink foil liners from sweet cuppin cakes.
2. Preheat oven to 350.In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, food colorling and beat until well combined.
4. Gradually add egg whites beating well after each additon. Alternately add flour mixtue and champagne to beaten mixture starting and ending with flour just until combined. (batter will appear curdled after champagne additons, but smooth after all of the flour mixture has been added.
5. Pour in prepared cups and bake for 15-18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Creamy Champagne Frosting

• 1 cup softened butter
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup Champagne
• few drops of red food coloring (I used around 5)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 3-4 Drops Champagne extract
• Additonal 5 cups of powdered sugar

1. Beat butter for 30 seconds gradually add powdered sugar, milk, champagne and vanilla.
2. Beat in an additonal 5 cups powdered sugar until of spreading consistency.

Raspberry Bavarian Cream

• 1 (1/3 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract

1. In a double boiler combine gelatin, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar.
2. Stir in egg yolks. Then slowly add milk. Cook over boiling water, stirring until moisture coats the spoon. Remove at once. Refrigerate until slightly thicker than unbeaten egg whites.
3. Beat egg whites until they form moist peaks when the beater is raised. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the sugar, beating until stiff. Fold into yolk mixture along with whipped cream, vanilla and raspberry extracts.
4. Leave in bowl until ready to use.

Assembly:

1. Cut out a well in each cupcake with a serated knife. Add in one teaspoon cream and cut off cupcake top so it resembles a lid. Make sure that cream does not spill over.
2. Frost cupcakes with desired tip or spread.
3. Decorate with small silver dragees and edible glitter.
4. Enjoy!