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by Haley//June 26, 2018 (updated April 28, 2021)
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Moscato cupcakes are vanilla cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting spiked with strawberry wine. Each bite is sweet, flavorful and boozy!
co*cktail cupcakes are back and this time using strawberry moscato wine! These vanilla cupcakes are spiked with moscato, a sweet, slightly bubbly, wine. Moscato is sweeter than most wines so it naturally adds a sweetness to the cupcakes. I specifically chose a strawberry flavored moscato because, hello, pink frosting!
Why this recipe works: The base of this recipe is a simple vanilla cupcake recipe. The addition of bubbly pink wine makes the cupcakes fluffy and sweet. The buttercream frosting is flavored with moscato wine reduction for the ultimate flavor and eye-catching pink hue.
I used my champagne cupcakes recipe to make these moscato cupcakes. It was an easy substitution since both wines are a little bubbly. With either recipe, the alcohol is truly evident, especially in the buttercream frosting.
Table of Contents
How to make moscato cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
- Whisk together dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Combine sour cream and moscato.
- Alternate adding sour cream mixture and flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
- Bake cupcakes for 18 minutes.
How to make moscato buttercream frosting
Moscato frosting is easy to make with a moscato reduction and buttercream frosting recipe. To start, make a moscato reduction. Heat a cup of moscato on the stovetop until it boils down to two tablespoons. The flavor will become more concentrated as will the color—hence the pink hue! Let the reduction cool completely.
Make the buttercream frosting by beating together butter and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add the moscato reduction to the frosting and mix until combined. Transfer to a piping bag with a desired tip and frost the cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can rosé be used in place of moscato? Yes, rosé may be used in place of moscato. You can also use a regular moscato (not pink).
How to store moscato cupcakes: Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Can you freeze moscato cupcakes? Yes. Individually wrap unfrosted cupcakes and freeze in an airtight container for up to one month.
Wine is a fun ingredient to bake with. Chocolate pairs well with red wine, which is why I love the idea of these red wine brownies. Another way to incorporate wine into baking is with my champagne cupcakes (perfect for New Year’s and graduation parties!)
And if you are looking for a refreshing summer drink, you must try frozen rosé (also known as frosé).
I liked making these cupcakes for summer since rosé season is in. I can only imagine all the other excuses to make moscato cupcakes… girls’ weekend, Valentine’s Day, bachelorette parties, birthdays—the options are endless!
What occasion would you make moscato cupcakes for? let me see on social media by tagging @ifyougiveablondeakitchen.
Get the Recipe: Moscato Cupcakes
Yield: 18 cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 18 minutes mins
Total Time: 38 minutes mins
Moscato cupcakes are vanilla cupcakes with pink buttercream frosting spiked with strawberry wine. Each bite is sweet, flavorful and boozy!
5 (17 ratings)
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Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (218 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, , room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs,, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (124 g) sour cream,, room temperature
- ½ cup (118 ml) pink moscato
Frosting
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (250 ml) pink moscato
- 1 cup (226 g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, , room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Moscato Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract just until combined.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup pink moscato and 1/2 cup sour cream (mixture will fizz and bubble a little).
With the mixer on low, gradually add in the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with moscato mixture (So it goes flour, moscato, flour, moscato, flour). Mix until batter is uniform and smooth, about 30 seconds.
Fill baking cups about 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack, and allow them to cool to room temperature before frosting.1
Moscato Frosting
Place 1 cup ofpink moscato in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Transfer to a small bowl or condiment cup and allow to cool.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream softened butter and powdered sugar together. Once the frosting is thick and fluffy, pour in the reduced 2 tablespoons moscato plus 1 tablespoon moscato from the bottle and mix well.2
Frost the cupcakes and garnish with nonpareil sprinkles if desired.3
Notes
- If you wish to brush the cupcakes with moscato, do so before frosting. About a teaspoon for each cupcake should be enough.
- If you’d like a pinker frosting, add the tiniest drop of red food dye to the frosting.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- If you wish to make mini cupcakes, reduce baking time to 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serving: 1cupcake, Calories: 324kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 78mg, Potassium: 43mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 539IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Haley D Williams
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Birthday Summer Recipes Valentine's Day
18 comments //Leave a Comment or Review »
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Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites —Reply
I’m going to visit my mom for 3 weeks starting tomorrow. We always break out the moscato! I think we will be trying these cupcakes too – sounds so good!
Hayley | The Simple Supper —Reply
I don’t know if any recipe has very screamed girls brunch more! I will definitely be making these very soon with my SIL because we love Moscato and cupcakes. I will report back with how it goes!
Traci —Reply
Wow these are adorable! And I love it that they’re made with wine…nice surprise! Pinning and sharing these beauties…thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Sandi —Reply
You had me at moscato! These cupcakes look lovely.
Stephanie —Reply
I love moscato so I knew this recipe just had to be a winner. Sounds great and they’re so pretty as well!
Alyssa —Reply
Beautiful AND delicious!
Sharic —Reply
Do you sift the flour and also do you level the dry ingredients before putting them in the mixing bowl.
Haley —
Hi Sharic, I do not sift the flour. I use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and then use the back of a knife to level off the flour before transferring to the bowl. I find a kitchen scale incredibly helpful and measure in grams 🙂
Kelly —Reply
I followed the frosting recipe, and it turned out incredibly liquidy. I had to put it in the fridge to firm it up. Was there anything missing in the recipe? Like heavy whipping cream?
Haley —
Hi Kelly – Did you reduce the moscato to 2 tablespoons as directed? By heating the moscato, the flavor will become concentrated and the amount will reduce from 1 cup to 2 tablespoons. If the frosting was still too liquidy, it might be from summer heat and your butter being too soft. You can also omit the addition 1 tablespoon of moscato (not reduced).
LeAnn —Reply
Ok so I did these last night but with my Cupcake Moscato d’asti instead of pink Moscato (didn’t have any) and I love how they came out. I did part as cupcakes and part as a 6 inch cake for playing around with and I’ve done a few recipes this week and this was THE BEST one I tried. This is a keeper! I didn’t do the frosting though – I did a basic buttercream as I didn’t want to get the wrong person tipsy. 😉 I just wanted to say AWESOME recipe!
Amanda —Reply
These were SO yummy! I am a beginner baker/cook and have messed up so so many things, ending up discouraged after 2-3 hours in the kitchen following each step meticulously. I was so proud when these turned out so lovely. There isn’t one thing I would change or note to “be careful of” next time. Manifique!
Anna Reese —Reply
These were divine! I just finished whipping up a double batch for a pallet painting bachelorette party for tomorrow and they are prefect. The cake is soft and moist and the frosting is beautiful. Just enough moscato taste but not over powering
Ebony Terry —Reply
Followed recipe exactly as written and the cupcakes out perfectly. The cupcakes came out so light and fluffy.
Lori —Reply
Can I do this in a 9×13 cake pan instead? What adjustments would I need to make?
Rebecca —Reply
Ok a little confused. You say mix the sugar eggs and such then mix moscato and sour cream in a diff bowl add flour slowly, when do you add the sugar egg mixture with all the rest if the ingredients?
Haley —
Hi Rebecca – To the bowl of sugar, eggs, etc. alternate adding the flour mixture and the sour cream mixture. I hope this helps.
Nai —Reply
These were absolutely delicious! I was surprised how soft and tasty they were. I used a white moscato, will definitely be making them again! They were a hit at my New Years Party.
