Mimosa Cheesecake Cupcakes+Orange Champagne Frosting

Recipe taken from Sweet, Savory* Cupakes *and sometimes boozy by Alison Riede

The cheesecake recipe is smooth, creamy and everything someone would desire from a slice of cheesecake with whipped cream and coulis. However, I think its much too heavy to eat as a cupcake and I personally would never top a heavy cheesecake with a buttercream.

35-40 ea. vanilla wafers

1/4 c. butter

24 oz. cream cheese

1 c. sugar

2 ea. eggs

2 tsp. orange extract

1. In a food processor, pulse together vanilla wafers until the resemble fine sand

2. Melt butter in the microwave; pour into the vanilla wafer crumbs and mix with a fork until combined

3. Press rounded tablespoon of the wafer mixture into the bottom of the cupcake liner

4. Beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth; scraping down the bowl a few times

5. Beat in one egg at a time, scraping bowl and mixing until incorporated

6. Add orange extract- fill cupcake liners all the way to the top(there is hardly any rise)

7. Bake at 325F for 25 minutes

Orange Champagne Frosting -->

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 tsp. orange extract

4 T. champagne, dry

3 c. powdered sugar

1 ea. orange, zest

1. Beat softened butter and orange extract together on medium speed for 2 minutes

2. Slowly add 2 T. of champagne and then 2 c. powdered sugar and beat on low for 1 minute

3. Add remaining champagne and powdered sugar alternately until everything is combined

4. Beat on high speed for about 3 minutes until fluffy

5. Garnish cupcakes with orange zest