Cocktail to Cupcake: Gluten Free Champagne Cupcakes

cupcake-cocktail-strawberry-champagne-white-bubbly-dessert

Pop. Fizz. Clink. Bake.

Yes, you read that right – we added the word bake at the end of Pop. Fizz. Clink.

We can do that because we had some bubbly action in our kitchen as we participated in the Wayfair Cocktail to Cupcake Campaign. The fun challenge was to make a yummy cupcake with our favorite cocktail on the ingredient list. We love our Italian bubbly, and we wanted to make it gluten free so we could actually eat it. The result is a delicious Gluten Free Champagne Cupcake.

Sip and bake – now that’s something we can get use to.

cupcake-cocktail-strawberry-champagne-white-bubbly-dessert

Gluten Free Champagne Cupcakes
servings: about 16
recipe adapted from DC Cupcakes

Ingredients:
Champagne Cupcakes

  • 1.5 cups gluten free flour
  • 1 cup gluten free oat flour
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon Champagne

Champagne Buttercream Frosting

  • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp half and half
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup champagne
  • 1 cup strawberries, diced

Directions:
Champagne Cupcakes

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Set cupcake liners in the cupcake baking pan.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and slowly add the sugar. Blend with an electric mixer until combined.

Add the eggs, and blend.

Pour the vanilla, champagne and milk in a separate measuring cup.

Combine the flours, baking powder and sugar in a separate medium bowl.

Pour 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by 1/3 of the milk mixture. Continue this process until all the flour and milk is fully combined. Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the cupcake liners {fill 1/2-3/4 of each liner}.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool.

Champagne Buttercream Frosting

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and add the sugar slowly. Beat with an electric mixer until well mixed.

Add the vanilla, milk, salt and champagne, and beat until the mixture is fluffy.

Then, place in piping bag and decorate your cupcakes.

Top the cupcakes with your diced strawberries, then place a safe, indoor mini sparkler on top.

cupcake-cocktail-strawberry-champagne-white-bubbly-dessert

Enjoy! And remember, you don’t always have to drink your cocktail. You can eat it, too.

cupcake-cocktail-strawberry-champagne-white-bubbly-dessert

cupcake-cocktail-strawberry-champagne-white-bubbly-dessert

This #Cocktail2Cupcake post is sponsored by Wayfair, but we would love them and their products even if it wasn’t. Thanks for supporting the wonderful companies that support us. 

CocktailtoCupcake

How to Create a Black, White and Gold Glitter Bar

Here’s one of the details from our Sparkle from Head to Toe photo shoot we told you about Fri {the one featured on Hostess with the Mostess}.

We created the perfect party for women to kick off the holiday season and really SHINE. The sparkle party gave women a chance to gossip with friends over cocktails and cookies, try on and shop for jewelry by local artists, and paint their nails at a OPI nail painting station. Women deserve to Sparkle from Head to Toe…and this party let them do just that!

As you know, every good party needs a bar. With a small space, and a tight budget, we created a DIY bar from a tray. It’s a great accessory for any holiday party, bachelorette party, birthday party, or just a night with the ladies. Here’s how you can do it too.

DIY Black and White Striped Bar Tray

You’ll Need
Tray
Paint
Paint brushes
Painters tape
Wood letter from your local WalMart, Hobby Lobby or Michaels
Gold Glitter Spray Paint

How To
Clean and sand the tray if necessary.
Spray paint the whole tray with white primer.
Once primer is dry, paint entire tray white. Repeat once for two coats.
Add Painter’s Tape where you want stripes. My tray had the perfect lines carved into it, so I just lined the tape up with those.
Paint the non-taped parts black. I used a brush to paint for more control, instead of spray paint. Repeat for a total of 2 coats.
After 24 hours, pull the tape from the tray.
If you have any touch ups to do, use a small brush and paint to fix.
For the letters, it’s best to use the primer to spray paint so you don’t see the wood grain under the glitter.
Once the primer is dry, spray paint with glitter spray paint.
Accessorize the bar with champagne, Izze drinks and fresh fruit.

Labels printed and sparkled by FLEUR DE LIS, custom paperie.

{via Tutto Bella}

holiday craft party ideas

Nothing sounds more fun to me than getting together with the ladies, sipping on some vino or bubbly, grubbing on a cheese plate and doing crafts! Seriously, my kind of party. Some talented bloggers recently hosted some fun parties we’re going to share with you today. Make a date, buy the supplies {don’t forget the wine} and have some DIY fun.

Mary Costa Photography, Mix & a-Mingle Holiday Craft Party by Studio DIY

Melanie, a really talented blogger behind You Are My Fave {from Colorado like us}, let us share her Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Party idea with us. So cute, and looks like a great time. For a full tutorial, please visit You Are My Fave. Photos by Nicole Coleman.

Gather some old books, visit a library $1 book sale and host a DIY party to create a Book Pages Tree like Organized Clutter did.

Sugar and Cloth made an adorable Color Block Ornament Garland at their holiday party. See how here.

Paper {whites} hosted a lovely Holiday Craft party for her book club and the festivities included a cookie exchange, champagne sipping and gift tag creativity. Look at the goody bags below {I want} and look at more details here.

{images via Mary Costa Photography, Organized Clutter, Sugar and Cloth, You are My Fave/Nicole Coleman, Paper {Whites}}

salute 2013

New Year’s Eve is almost here…and it’s time to bust out the bubbly. Our personal favorite is Prosecco. This year, try to find a way to infuse ‘bubbly’ into at least one {if not all} aspects of your party. We’ve gathered a few last-minute ‘bubbly’ ideas for your celebration.

Hanging Bubbly Balls, tutorial at Martha Stewart

Sophia Champagne in a Can Favor, Style Me Pretty

Champagne Jello Shots, Perpetually Engaged

Champagne Ice Cream Bar, Damsel in Dior

Confetti Champagne Flutes, tutorial at Pizzazzerie

Grape Champagne {and year predictor} Skewer, see details at Noble Pig

Champagne Bar, Tutto Bella, shoot by Pink Champagne Events
see full shoot here

{images via A Blissful Nest, Martha Stewart, Style Me PrettyPerpetually EngagedPizzazzerie, Damsel in Dior, Noble Pig, Laura Murray Photography}