Champagne Cupcakes with Champagne Cream Cheese Icing

I got a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas (so spoiled)! I couldn't think of a better first use than combining my two favorite things- champagne and cake.

Cupcake recipe found here.

Cupcake Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup champagne (plus some for you)
6 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a cupcake pan with liners.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into creamed mixture alternately with champagne.
In another large clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. This made about 18 cupcakes.

Champagne Cream Cheese Icing

2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons champagne, at room temperature

Using an electric mixer, cream together the powdered sugar, butter and cream cheese. Add vanilla and champagne. Mix until smooth.