Description

Peach Bellini Cupcakes are a delightful and elegant treat inspired by the classic cocktail. These light and fluffy cupcakes are infused with champagne and fresh peaches, filled with a silky champagne pastry cream, and topped with a vibrant peach-flavored buttercream. Finished with a hint of red food color painted inside the piping bag and garnished with white nonpareils and fresh mint leaves, they make an eye-catching and delicious dessert perfect for celebrations and special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

Cupcakes

6 large egg whites (from eggs, not from a carton)
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3/4 cup champagne, prosecco, or other sparkling white wine
2/3 cup fresh peaches, 1/4″ dice or diced canned peaches

Champagne Pastry Cream

1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup champagne or prosecco
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peach Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
Milk or cream, to thin
1/2 teaspoon LorAnn peach flavoring oil or 2 tablespoons peach schnapps
Chefmaster neon brite yellow soft gel food color
Chefmaster neon brite orange soft gel food color
Chefmaster red red soft gel food color

Garnishes

2 tablespoons white nonpareils
16–18 small fresh mint leaves (optional)

Instructions

Prepare Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 18-cup muffin pans with paper liners. Set aside. In a clean bowl, beat the 6 egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside carefully.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In another mixing bowl, beat 10 tablespoons of room temperature unsalted butter and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, indicating good aeration.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt. Whisk them to combine thoroughly.
Combine Batter: Add the flour mixture alternately with 3/4 cup of champagne (or prosecco) to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, stirring gently to maintain the batter’s airiness. Fold in the diced peaches evenly.
Incorporate Egg Whites: Gently fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
Bake Cupcakes: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Champagne Pastry Cream: In a medium bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Add 1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks and whisk until smooth. In a saucepan, combine the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream, 5 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 cup champagne. Bring this mixture to a boil, then remove from heat.
Temper Eggs: Slowly pour one-third of the hot champagne mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent cooking the eggs. Return the champagne mixture to a boil and then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan in a steady stream, whisking continuously until thickened.
Finish Pastry Cream: Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Cool to room temperature, cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation, and refrigerate until needed.
Prepare Peach Buttercream: Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 1 cup room-temperature unsalted butter with 6 cups confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Add milk or cream gradually to achieve a light, piping consistency. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon LorAnn peach flavoring oil or 2 tablespoons peach schnapps. Gradually add neon yellow and neon orange gel food colors (about 4 drops of each) until a bright orangey-peach color is achieved.
Decorate Piping Bag: Use a disposable piping bag fitted with a large French pastry tip. Dip a kitchen brush into red gel food color and paint a thick line inside the piping tip and up the length of the bag. Repeat opposite this line. Test the piping bag on parchment paper until the red color appears inside the frosting stream.
Core Cupcakes and Fill: Using a paring knife, carefully cut out small divots in the centers of the cooled cupcakes and remove the pieces. Fill a piping bag with champagne pastry cream, snip about ½ inch from the tip, and fill each cupcake divot with 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of pastry cream. Trim the removed cake pieces flat and place them back as lids over the filling.
Frost and Garnish: Pipe a swirl of the peach buttercream onto each cupcake. Immediately sprinkle white nonpareils on top for texture. Just before serving, place a small fresh mint leaf on each cupcake as a garnish, if desired.

Notes

Ensure egg whites are beaten to stiff peaks and folded gently to maintain a light cupcake texture.
Be cautious when tempering eggs in the pastry cream to avoid scrambling.
Use gel food colors sparingly, adding a few drops at a time to achieve the desired vibrant color without overpowering the buttercream.
The cupcake cores removed for filling can be trimmed and used as lids to keep the filling contained and add an extra layer of cake.
Substitute peach schnapps if LorAnn peach flavoring oil isn’t available to maintain authentic peach flavor.
If fresh peaches are unavailable, well-drained canned peaches work as a suitable alternative.

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Peach Bellini Cupcakes, champagne cupcakes, peach cupcakes, champagne pastry cream, peach buttercream, festive cupcakes, cocktail-inspired dessert