This time of year there is lots to celebrate. These very easy and very festive Pink Champagne Cupcakes are perfect for a party.

Champagne replaces water in the batter, imparting a very delicate flavor to the cake. The icing also has some champagne in it for a double dose of the bubbly. Cheers for sure!

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Ingredients for the cupcakes:

1 box white cake mix
1 1/4 cups champagne
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
5 drops red food color

Ingredients for the champagne icing:

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup champagne
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 drops red food color

Garnishes:

Pink decorating sugar
Edible pink or white pearls
Champagne bottle candles

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

2. In large bowl, mix dry cake mix and champagne. Add oil, egg whites and food color. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

3. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

4. In medium bowl, beat icing ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Frost cupcakes (I piped icing on with a French Star Tube Tip). Sprinkle with pink sugar and pearls. Top with a champagne bottle candle, if you like.

Makes 24

Recipe from BettyCrocker.com

Joseph Arthur has a new album, ‘The Ballad of Boogie Christ’, to add to his huge back catalog. As consistently good as ever, Mr. A never fails to impress me with his music.

Here is a video for another song on the album. I love the compilation of all of these old heroes.

Check out Joseph Arthur on his Website, where you can learn upcoming US tour dates and buy the music.

Cheers!