Vegan Champagne Cupcakes

Prepared and photographed by NutraMilk nutritionist, Florencia Tagliavini.

Recipe by Audrey Dunham.

INGREDIENTS

For almond milk

• 1 cup (150g) almonds
• 1 quart (946ml) water
• 1/8 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt (optional)

champagne

• 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tb. Brut Champagne separated (cider can also be used)

Wet ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened Almond Milk made with the NutraMilk
• 1 Tb. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tb. Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Canola Oil organic, if possible, to avoid GMO's

Dry ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup + 1 Tb. Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt

Champagne Frosting

• 1 cup Non-hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 6 Tb. Brut Champagne poured straight from the bottle

INSTRUCTIONS

• Start by making fresh almond milk with the NutraMilk:
• Place almonds in the NutraMilk container.
• Press Butter cycle, set for 7 minutes.
• Press Start.
• Add water and replace lid.
• Press Mix (do not change the default Mix time).
• Press Start.
• Press Dispense, open spigot and fill your container with almond milk.

• First, add 1 1/2 cups of Brut champagne to a sauce pan on the stove and turn the heat to "high." Once the champagne starts to boil, turn the heat down to "medium" so it can maintain a rapid simmer. When the liquid has reduced to 1/4 cup worth, (after about 15-25 minutes), remove the champagne from the heat and set it aside.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, line two cupcake pans with 16 paper cupcake liners. Set those pans aside for now.
• Next, in a small bowl, add all of the WET ingredients, NOT including the champagne. Set this bowl aside, too.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the DRY ingredients. Stir well to combine.
• Add half of the WET ingredients to the DRY ingredients and give it a stir. Then, add the other half and stir again, scraping down the sides as necessary.
• Finally, add the 1/4 cup of reduced champagne AS WELL AS two tablespoons of champagne straight from the bottle. Give that batter one final stir until it is smooth and silky and dreamy.
• Add batter to each cupcake liner ONLY until it's about 2/3 - 3/4 full. Overfilling equals fugly cupcakes, and no one likes a fugly cupcake! Use a retractable ice cream scoop to make the process easier.

• Bake in your preheated oven for 19-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted down the center of each cupcake comes out clean and free of batter. When they're cool enough to handle, transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
• In the meantime, make your frosting. Start by beating the shortening on high using a hand or stand mixer.
• Then, add the salt, half of the powdered sugar and half of the champagne to the bowl. Mix on a LOW speed until mostly combined. Repeat with the second half of sugar and champagne.
• Finally, crank your mixer to a HIGH speed and whip that frosting until it's super light and fluffy, about 30 seconds or so.
• When your cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them using a piping bag fitted with a tip, or, go the old fashioned route and frost using a butter knife. Garnish the tops with festive sprinkles or decoration of choice.