Cakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Icing:
1 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons Prosecco or Champagne
Sanding sugar or tiny candies, for decorating
Equipment: 2 mini muffin tins, (to make 48 small cupcakes)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the muffin tin with mini cupcake liners.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
In another medium bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. While beating, gradually pour in the butter and then the vanilla.
While mixing slowly, add half the dry ingredients, then add all the milk, and follow with the rest of the dry ingredients. Take care not to over mix the batter. Divide the batter evenly in the prepared tins (about 2 teaspoon batter per cup cake.)
Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack in the tin.
Icing: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and Prosecco until smooth and sugar dissolves. (If cupcakes are not cool enough to ice, lay plastic film directly on top of the glaze to prevent it from drying out and set aside at room temperature until ready to use.) Dip the tops of each baby cake in the Prosecco glaze, sprinkle with sugar or top with tiny candies and return to the rack to set, about 25 minutes.
Cooks Note: This is a great way to use up leftover bubbly. This recipe works just as well with flat Prosecco. For a full wine flavor, prick the mini cupcakes with toothpicks when they are cooling; then drizzle with some Prosecco before icing with the glaze.
Copyright 2007 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
