Vegan Champagne cupcakes

Preparation

Baking Directions:

Cheers! The bubbles from the champagne in this cake will make you giggle with glee when you take your first bite.

The subtle white wine flavor is delicate and divine; the raspberries give it a bit of pomp and circumstance.

And the frosting takes this cake over the top.

I had never tasted passion fruit before.

I mean, maybe in the form of a Tropical Skittle or the like, but never in the flesh.

Not until we were filming for "Cupcake Wars" and Jenny, Sticky Fingers’ head baker and my right-hand lady, cut a fruit open and spooned the innards into my mouth.

What happened next?

I will let you know this—it didn’t make it past the edits.

For frosting:In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the shortening and margarine and whip until completely combined.

Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure that all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.

Add the passion fruit concentrate or puree and mix until incorporated.

Scrape the bottom of the bowl.

On low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time.

Scrape the bottom of the bowl and mix on medium-high speed until all the ingredients are combined and the frosting is fluffy, about 2 minutes.

For cake:Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.

Set the bowl aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine the sugar and margarine, and cream together with the whisk attachment, about 5 minutes.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that the ingredients are incorporated.

In a small bowl or cup, combine the egg replacer, vanilla, and soymilk and stir to dissolve the egg replacer.

Add the champagne to the soymilk mixture and mix until combined.

Turn the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients and soymilk mixture, alternating between the two and ending with the dry ingredients.

Gently fold in the raspberries by hand, being careful not to break them.

Distribute the batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or the cake springs back to the touch.

Place the pans on a cooling rack to cool completely, then run a knife or plastic dough scraper around the edges of the pans to loosen the cakes from the sides.

Turn the pans upside down to remove the cakes.

If you are making cupcakes, fill 18 lined cupcake cups three-quarters full and insert 1 raspberry in the center of each cupcake, making sure the batter covers the top of the raspberry.

Bake for 16 to 19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.

Place the cupcake tins on a cooling rack to cool completely, then turn the tins upside down to remove the cupcakes.

Frost with the passion fruit frosting.

Top with fresh raspberries.

Tips:

For cupcakes: fill lined cupcake tin 3/4 full and bake for 16 to 19 minutes at 350F or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.