Mimosa Cupcakes

Champagne, orange juice and cupcakes--what could be better? This recipe is actually inspired by the wedding cake that was served at our wedding, made by Jody's Pantry. It was made from an orange mimosa batter and served with mandarin angel cream filling...incredibly delicious.
For our anniversary this year, I wanted to recreate the cake with this cupcake recipe, which would be perfect for adults as well as kids (since the alcohol in the batter will cook out during baking). They would be perfect for a wedding, bridal shower, brunch or cocktail party.

The recipe calls for just 3/4 cup of champagne and has a light taste. For a more citrusy flavor, swap the amounts of champagne and juice. Serve the rest of the bubbly with the cupcakes...or better yet, treat yourself to a drink while you bake.

Cupcake Ingredients:
One box of white cake mix
3/4 cup champagne or sparkling white wine
1/2 cup orange juice (pulp free)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine cake mix, champagne, juice, oil and egg whites in a large bowl. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for two minutes.
3. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Fill each cup with batter, about 2/3 full.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Cool before decorating.

Decorating Ingredients:
One container of whipped (fluffy) white icing
One can of mandarin orange segments or a fresh orange cut into segments.

1. Stir icing in container, then ice each cupcake.
2. Top each cupcake with a mandarin orange segment. (If you're going to prepare the cupcakes ahead of time, you may want to place the oranges on top right before serving. You may want to this if you are transporting the cupcakes as well...the oranges may slide around in transit).

Other Decorating Ideas:
Add a fresh raspberry to the top of the cupcake.
Create a glaze by adding a little bit of orange juice and/or champagne to the icing and drizzle over cupcakes.