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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Champagne Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream

...So, could it GET any better?  Champagne cake from Nugget Market has been a family favorite of mine for well over 30 years.  Yup, I'm old enough to have favorites for that long a time.  I think I had my first taste in my teens, not long after we came back to California.  My grandmother, Bambi, probably picked it up on her way through "town" (AKA Woodland) on her way from Esparto to Davis.  I remember the pink whipped cream frosting and the custard middle.  Light, not too sweet, and lovely.  No problem eating 2 pieces.  Great memories! 

A few years ago, Nugget Market came to my town.  When they opened their doors, I finally felt at home.  I lived near a Nugget Market for years in Davis, and that's where Bambi shopped in Woodland for meats and fancy desserts.  Love those days.  Anyway, as good fortune would have it, I live, literally, down the street and around the corner from "The Nug" or "Nug" for short.  Not only was I now able to get amazing meats and stone oven bread (we NEED real bread here!), finally Champagne Cake whenever I wanted it!  Amazing!!


So, after a few years of tasting with family and friends, I decided to try it for my brother's bday dinner.  I think it's one of his favorite cakes, although my SIL's, Katie's, Red Velvet is hard to beat.  So, on to the internet search for a great recipe.  I found mine at Sprinkle Bakes, a great website with lots of yummies.  You'll see a few recipes on our blog from SB.  She's very cool.  This is the website and recipe:

http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2010/12/sparkling-champagne-cupcakes.html

Here are the pretty pictures, one from Sprinkle Bakes:

One from my first attempt:

Please note: the use of Prosecco!  Yeah, Italian all the way, baby!  :)  I bought the processo at Nug, of course.  Had to ask the way-too-helpful booze "guy" what I should use as far as bubbly for making this cake.  Being at Nug, well of course, he knew exactly what I needed.  Yaaaaay for booze guy!  Also, note general theme and the use of SPRINKLES.  I'm getting hooked on those little colored dots.  I can't seem to bake a cupcake without those little things.  Also, I am so, so amazed at how CLEAN my counter looks.  ;)

So, these little guys were tested.  Some loved them, some thought the frosting a bit sweet.  I LOVED them!  For my brother's annual bday dinner, I made the same recipe, but made a cake with custard filling and used a whipped cream/pudding frosting variant.  He said he liked it, and he's one of my toughest and most encouraging critics.  Honesty runs in our family...

When I make this again it will be with fond memories of Bambi and my family. 

And, I highly recommend a glass of prosecco during the baking and one to enjoy with your cupcake...Both go down really smooth!

Pretty in pink.  Ellen

P.S. Booze guy gave me the 'go-ahead' to sip while baking.  He's a really nice booze guy...
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4 comments:

  1. The champagne cake from the long-gone Burlington Bakery downtown in Santa Rosa was my mom's favorite, second only to their fruit basket cake. It sounds similar: also pink frosting, also light and delicate, but I don't remember a custard filling. I'll have to try this and see if it tastes the same. The Burlington Bakery Cake was decorated on the sides with chunks of something that tasted a bit like white chocolate, but that was a delicate pink color. I loved that stuff and have no idea what it was.
    Love the new blog you two, Nancy

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  2. Hi Nancy! Love fruit basket cakes. We have (don't know if they are still around...) a bakery in Sacto (Cramers) that makes an amazing fruit basket cake. I haven't tried it in years, though. Also, it is white chocolate shavings on the champagne cakes at the Nug, too. Thanks for checking out the blog and for being our first Follower!

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  3. This is great - I have half a bottle that needs to be used! And it looks like we live near each other, I'm in a suburb of Sacramento. :)

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  4. Amazing! I just stumbled accross your blog. I don't have a baking blog, but I do make what my friends call "Drunk Cakes" or cupcakes made with alcohol so I was very excited to find your site for some good ideas and recipies!

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