The bright flavor of fresh-squeezed orange juice gets a bubbly lift in these brunch beverage-inspired mimosa cupcakes. Top each soft and fluffy cupcake with a delectable swirl of champagne frosting for the ultimate brunch dessert. See recipe note for a non-alcoholic version. Cheers!
We’re drinking mimosas and eating them, too—mimosa cupcakes, that is! Our boozy cupcake escapades began with margarita cupcakes and since then, we’ve been intrigued to turn more favorite drinks into cupcakes like these Baileys and coffee cupcakes and Guinness cupcakes.
The combination of champagne and orange reminds us of weekend brunches with pitchers of mimosas. Bakers, let’s brunch.
Tell Me About These Fresh-Squeezed Mimosa Cupcakes
- Flavor: For these mimosa cupcakes we use our classic vanilla cupcakes as the base, but make a few noticeable changes. We add orange zest and orange juice to the cupcake batter as well as champagne. These cupcakes taste “sparkly,” with a little tart and sweet in each bite, paired with bright citrus flavor just like a mimosa.
- Texture: Each bite is soft and fluffy with a generous layer of extra creamy frosting. Creaming the butter and sugar together produces a cakey cupcake and cake flour always keeps cakes and cupcakes light. These are one of the fluffiest cupcakes we’ve ever made and we can thank the champagne for that. It lightens and lifts up the cupcake batter, so each bite is springy, light, and oh-so-soft.
- Ease: In terms of prep, there really isn’t much to it! We use champagne in both the cupcake batter and the frosting, but for the frosting portion, you must reduce it on the stove first. (Otherwise the amount you need for enough flavor would ruin the frosting’s consistency.) Besides the time on the stove, the process is pretty straightforward for a cupcake recipe.
- Time: Set aside extra time to reduce the champagne and let it cool for the frosting. The batter is quick to prepare, but make sure you wait for the cupcakes to fully cool before topping them with frosting.
What Champagne Should I Use?
Use your favorite champagne or sparkling wine for today’s mimosa cupcakes. If you like how it tastes out of the bottle, you’ll like how it tastes in the cupcakes and the frosting. While the champagne taste is faint, you’ll definitely notice something different about them.
We’ve tried the recipe with dozens of different sparkling wines, including prosecco, and each has been fantastic.
Champagne Frosting
We’ve loved this champagne frosting so much that we created a separate post for it just in case you want to pair it with other cupcake flavors like funfetti cupcakes or lemon cupcakes.
We begin with our vanilla buttercream base: butter + confectioners’ sugar. To that, we’ll add champagne and vanilla extract. But we need to reduce down the champagne on the stove before adding it. Why? Reducing the champagne packs an intense amount of flavor into a smaller amount of champagne. We can’t overload our frosting with liquid because that would thin it out. Rather, let’s add a small amount of *extreme* champagne flavor. We also do this with Guinness in Guinness chocolate cake, and with strawberries in my strawberry cake, too. Make sure the reduced champagne is cool or room temperature—NOT hot.
- Time-saving tip: We like to reduce the champagne down while the cupcakes are baking, then stick the reduction in the refrigerator to continue cooling. If the champagne reduction is hot, it will melt the butter in your frosting, which creates an awful frosting experience—curdled buttercream.
Decorate the mimosa cupcakes however you’d like. We simply swiped frosting on each cupcake with an icing knife, then topped with an orange slice and a shower of gold sprinkles. Because it’s a sparkling fresh-squeezed mimosa!
If orange-flavored desserts are your thing, be sure to try my glazed orange Bundt cake next!
More Cupcake Recipes From This Batter
- Confetti Cupcakes
- White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
- Pistachio Cupcakes
- Chocolate Caramel Coconut Cupcakes
- Piñata Cupcakes
Fresh-Squeezed Mimosa Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 21 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 14-15 cupcakes or 32-36 mini cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Soft and fluffy mimosa cupcakes with champagne frosting. Cheers!
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (207g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons orange zest
- 1/3 cup (80g) full-fat sour cream*
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) juice from a valencia orange*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) champagne (use your favorite)
Champagne Frosting
- 3/4 cup (180ml) champagne (use your favorite)
- 1 cup (2 sticks; 230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional garnish: orange slices and gold sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 3 liners – this recipe makes about 15 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Make the cupcakes: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg whites and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the orange zest and sour cream. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour the the orange juice and champagne in until combined. Do not overmix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners – fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes, same oven temperature. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: In a small saucepan, bring the champagne to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and allow to simmer until reduced down to 1/4 cup, about 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. You want it room temperature or cold.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, beating on low at first then increasing to high speed. Once incorporated, add the next cup. Once creamy and combined, beat in 3 Tablespoons of the reduced champagne and the vanilla extract. Taste. Add the remaining reduced champagne if needed– and a pinch of salt if you’d like.
- Frost cooled cupcakes. Garnish with orange slices and gold sprinkles, if desired.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Cake Flour: If you can’t get your hands on cake flour, use this cake flour substitute.
- Mini Cupcakes: For around 30 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes at 350°F (177°C).
- Sour Cream: Makes the fluffiest cupcakes! You can use plain Greek yogurt instead, but the cupcakes typically taste a little denser.
- Orange Juice: Use fresh-squeezed juice for the best flavor and cupcake texture, trust me on that one! If you use bottled OJ, reduce to 1 Tablespoon.
- Alcohol Free Variation: Use sparkling white grape juice in the cupcakes and try a yummy cream cheese frosting, strawberry frosting, or vanilla buttercream on top.
- Special Tools: KitchenAid Hand Mixer, Cupcake Liners, Sprinkles, Icing Knife, and Grater/Zester
Keywords: mimosa cupcakes
I am not a champagne drinker what would you recommend for use in this recipe
Hi Amy, see recipe Notes for an alcohol-free variation of this recipe. Enjoy!
This was the first time I tried baking with real cake flour and it was so worth it! I used your advice for using a cupcake recipe to make a 6 inch layer cake and it worked beautifully.
★★★★★
I’ve never had cake quite so light besides angel food. This is amazing. I also have orange trees and I love being able to add my own oranges to a recipe. These are so fun to call a “mimosa cupcake” too!
★★★★★
can this be made without orange zest
Yes, but you will lose a little flavor.
Is a dry or sweet sparkling wine be better for this frosting?
Hi Danielle, either will work—choose your favorite!
Can prosecco be substituted for champagne?
Hi Ginny, that substitution should work. Let us know how it goes!
Could I use sparkling cider instead of champagne?
Hi Rita, we recommend using sparkling white grape juice in the cupcakes, and try a yummy cream cheese frosting, strawberry frosting, or vanilla buttercream on top.
Hello Sally! Would replacing the champagne with orange juice work in this recipie? I want to skip the bubbles pf champagne or grape juice!
Hi Abby! We haven’t tested it but would try replacing the champagne in the cupcake batter with 1/4 cup orange juice and 1/4 cup whole milk. Let us know if you give it a try!
How many cups of batter does this recipe make? I want to make it into a 12×16 inch cake.
Hi Kaycee, We haven’t calculated the exact amount, but it should be between 3-4 cups.
If champagne extract was used instead of making my own challenge reduction, how much would I use?
Hi Olivia, We have not tested using champagne extract in the frosting and the amount you use would depend on how strong you with the flavor to be. Start with just a teaspoon and taste it, you can always add more as needed!
Can you pipe with this frosting? That’s a lot of liquid!
Hi Suzie, you reduce the champagne on the stove before using it in the frosting – see step 5. It can be piped!
Just the bomb! I topped with candied orange peel tossed in sugar with gold sparkles. Not too sweet and the champagne makes it festive.
Plan to make these for a baby shower. Thinking about mom and baby. Should I be worried about the alcohol and use sparkling grape juice like you note or is it not that concerning due to the small amount per cupcake which gets cooked anyway. I’m assuming too that the reduction cooks off the alcohol in the frosting. If I use the sparkling grape juice, should I reduce the sugar in the cupcake?
Hi Rebecca, No need to alter the recipe if using sparkling grape juice. If using champagne, the alcohol should cook out but you may wish to talk to the mom-to-be and ask what they are comfortable with!
Hi! Do you have any suggestions for how to make these strawberry champagne cupcakes? I was thinking about replacing the orange juice with an equal amount of a pureed champagne-strawberry reduction, but I’m curious to know if you have another recipe that would work better or suggestions for tweaking this one!
Hi Elizabeth, We haven’t tested it but you can try starting with our strawberry cupcakes and replacing the milk with champagne. And then for the frosting you can definitely add ground up freeze dried strawberries to the champagne frosting! Let us know if you give it a try!
What brand cake flour do you recommend? I see both bleached and unbleached. which is better?
Hi Meagan! We like to use Swan’s Down or King Arthur brands – bleached or unbleached will both work.
Can I use your 6in cake instructions to make this a cake? I’m so intrigued by this recipe I may make my own birthday cake !
Hi Katie, sure can! Follow the baking instructions in our 6 inch cake recipes post. Hope you have a happy birthday!
I made these mimosa cupcakes this weekend and they were a hit. I made them exactly as the recipe called for, but was a little nervous when I took them out of the oven at 16 minutes and they were very dry on top. The cupcakes were not dry inside and everyone raved about them. Great recipe!
★★★★★
I haven’t made this in cupcakes yet, I jumped right into making it into a 6 inch cake. It was refreshing and vibrant but also rich. Such a unique recipe, highly recommend!
★★★★★
These cupcakes are perfection! The cake is moist and the frosting has a nice subtle champagne flavor. These are going into regular rotation!
★★★★★
The cupcakes turned out great. The frosting however was WAY to sweet. Even the kids who got one wanted the frosting off. I love all of Sally’s recipes I’ve made several of them. However this frosting was just too sweet.
★★★★
Hi sally can this recipe be doubled
To make a cake? Do i need to adjust the baking powder/ soda for a larger cake? It is soo good i want to turn it into a cake also. If double it would be 3.5 cups cake flour , 1 teaspoon BP and 1/2 Tsp BS not sure if that would be enough leavening agent. Please let me know thank you.
★★★★★
Hi Angie! Happy to help. I recommend following this white cake recipe and adding 2 Tablespoons of orange zest, 1 Tablespoon of fresh orange juice, and instead of 1 cup of milk, using 1/2 cup champagne and 1/2 cup milk.
Hi Sally! Thanks for sharing this again. 🙂 I am wondering if you’d be willing to do a cupcake frosting technique video? I am pretty good with a piping bag, but when it comes to doing something like what you’ve done with the cupcakes in these photos, they come out looking a little wonky. I’d love to see how you do it!
This post has a video! https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/piping-tips/
Just made these and they are INCREDIBLE! I’ve been so busy at work that we’ve had store bought desserts for 2 weeks! . When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it ASAP. I couldn’t find a Valencia orange, so I just used navel, but I’m going to go to a different market and see if I can find one to try them again. And they arent hard to make either. Thanks so much, Sally!
These sound amazing! Any thoughts on using a LorAnn Oil? There is a champagne flavor available.
that would be a wonderful addition!
These are to die for!!! I had a half day at work…saw your post this morning and decided that with my free afternoon I must try this fun new recipe (who doesn’t bake on their time off??). The results are super soft, fluffy and light cupcakes with a fabulous citrus flavor and perfect frosting with a hint of champagne. Wow! You are genius.