Champagne Mini Cakes

Here's a nice idea for New Year's Eve celebration: cute mini cakes baked with champagne or non-alcoholic sparkling wine. I got the idea from here but used a different recipe for the cakes, frosting, fruit, and chocolate garnish.

Champagne Mini Cakes
1½ cups cake flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup superfine sugar (measure then blend on medium in a blender)
6 tablespoons buttermilk, room temperature
6 tablespoons champagne

• Preheat oven to 325° F. 
• Line mini cupcake cups. 
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs and vanilla. Pour in sugar slowly while beating. Stir in buttermilk and champagne. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until lump-free; do not over mix for light and tender cakes. Fill cups 2/3 full. 
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing.

To serve in a champagne glass
halved pitted cherries or sliced strawberries
champagne
lightly sweetened whipped cream
chocolate sauce

• Place fruit in a small bowl and add some champagne; let sit for 10 minutes.
• Peel off paper liners from cakes.
• Pipe a little whipped cream on the bottom of a champagne glass. Add one cake on top and pipe more cream. Place a few slices of fruit then swirl a little chocolate sauce; add one more layer of cake, cream, fruit, chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Sauce
8 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup light corn syrup

• Place chocolate in a glass or metal bowl. In a small stainless steel saucepan, heat cream and corn syrup to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly then transfer into a serving bowl. Refrigerate leftover sauce; rewarm over low heat before using.