Gluten Free Celebratory New Year's Eve Champagne Cupcakes

These Gluten Free Champagne Cupcakes are moist and full of champagne flavor!  A New Year's Eve spin on my vanilla cupcakes, there is real champagne in the cake and the frosting.  Use Prosecco or bubbly if you don't have champagne.  These light and fluffy cupcakes are a perfect complement to your glass of celebratory champagne or bellini cocktail.  If you are trying to avoid alcohol, skip the glass of bubbly and toast to the New Year with cupcakes!  For a festive New Year's Eve decoration, light a sparkler when the clock strikes midnight!

Recipe Yields 1 dozen cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 2/3 cups Blends by Orly Sydney Blend
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp champagne
 
Champagne Icing:
2 cups butter
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp champagne
 
Heat: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cupcake tray with a dozen cupcake liners.  Try to make them festive and colorful liners to evoke the holiday spirit!

Mix: In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together butter, sugar, egg whites, champagne and vanilla.  In another large bowl, mix together Sydney Blend, baking soda and baking powder.   Add the flour mixture and sour cream to the wet ingredients, alternating in 3 additions and mix on medium speed just until smooth.

Bake: Fill cupcake liners until they are ¾ filled.  Bake 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.  Allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
 
Frosting:  To make the frosting, whisk butter until smooth.  Add 2 cups powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Add champagne and remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add a little more champagne, if needed to make the consistency smoother.  Top cupcakes with icing and decorate with sprinkles, beads, glitter, candy canes, etc.