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I don't know about you, but I love a tasty glass of fizz at Christmas time! Did you know that the Co-op sold more prosecco than milk in the week leading up to Christmas?! These Prosecco & Strawberry Cupcakes are a perfect way to celebrate over the festive season and an even better way to ring in the new year! I think they would go down a storm at a new year's eve party! My Prosecco & Strawberry Cupcakes are filled with strawberry jam, drizzled with prosecco syrup, and topped with a fresh strawberry - they look ready for a party! Serve with a glass of prosecco, of course!

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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used a baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
I used a prosecco extract from Sainsburys. There is a brand called Foodie Flavours that also do a prosecco flavouring that's easy to get hold of online. But you can make this recipe without it.
You can swap the strawberries for raspberries, and the strawberry jam for raspberry jam if you prefer.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Prosecco & Strawberry Cupcakes

To make the sponge, mix together the baking spread and caster sugar. Then add the eggs and prosecco extract (if using), and mix in. Then gently mix in the self raising flour.

Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases. Bake them for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to cool completely on a cooling rack. While they are baking, make the prosecco syrup. Put the sugar and prosecco in a pan and heat on low. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then boil for 3 minutes. Take off the heat and leave to cool. If you like you can also stir in some prosecco extract to intensify the flavour.

Use a cupcake corer to make a hole in the centre of each cupcake, drizzle some prosecco syrup over each cupcake, then fill the hole with strawberry jam. To make the buttercream, mix together the icing sugar, butter, milk and prosecco syrup until it is smooth. Pipe it on top of each cupcake. Decorate with fresh strawberries and sprinkles.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?

The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated (I do not recommend freezing the fresh strawberries), freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the buttercream.

Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Is butter or a baking spread better for cupcakes?

I prefer to use a baking spread (my preferred brand is Stork) for cupcake and cake sponges. I find that they are easier to use and they make the sponge rise more. You can also use most baking spread straight from the fridge, which is handy during a last minute baking emergency!

Should you use salted or unsalted butter for cupcakes?

I always use unsalted butter and baking spread for baking. This is because if you want to add salt to your recipe, you then have complete control of the salt level. Lots of people add salt to enhance the flavour of baked goods, so when you do this you want to know exactly how much you're adding. I personally prefer not to add salt to cakes and cupcakes. However, using a salted butter or baking spread will not affect the bake negatively and won't make it taste salty.

Do you have to beat the butter and sugar together for the full 5 minutes?

You don't have to, but I do recommend doing this to achieve the same results as me. I like a very slight bump or dome on my cupcakes, and for them to rise all the way to the top of the cupcake cases. I've tested this recipe multiple times and found that beating the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes achieves what I consider to be the perfect rise!

Can the cupcakes be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the cupcakes if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Can the cupcakes be made dairy free?

For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread and dairy free milk for the cupcakes and the buttercream. For the buttercream I recommend using a block butter alternative, such as Flora Plant or the Stork Baking Block, for best results. Please do check the labels for everything you use to make the cupcakes if you are serving it to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

While you can absolutely make this recipe with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease, I do recommend using an electric mixer for the best results. The cupcakes will be lighter and fluffier when made with an electric mixer. The buttercream will also be smoother. You don't have to use an expensive stand mixer either, you can get electric hand whisks for as little as £10!

Can this recipe be made into a larger cake?

If you'd like to make a bigger version of this cake, check out my Prosecco & Strawberry Cake recipe for details!

More tips for making the Prosecco & Strawberry Cupcakes:

My strawberries were quite big so I cut them in half, but if you have smaller strawberries then you can use a whole one on each cupcake.
I used a Wilton 1M piping nozzle for these cupcakes.
You can spread the buttercream onto the cupcakes with a spoon if you don’t want to pipe it.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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