CAKE:

3 lg egg whites, room temperature
1 cup champagne
1 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

preheat oven to 350°.

in a small bowl, mix egg whites & champagne. set aside.

in a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder & salt.

mix butter into dry ingredients until it resembles moist crumbs.

mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until fully combined.

divide evenly between 12 cupcake liners. bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

FILLING & FROSTING:

1 (15 oz) can sliced peaches
1/2 cup + 2 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
white sanding sugar, for topping

melt 2 tbs butter in a medium skillet on medium heat.

drain & discard liquid from peaches.

use a paper towel to pat dry peaches, removing excess moisture.

place the peaches in a single layer in the hot skillet. cook for about 3 minutes or until the bottom side is browned, then flip. repeat until all sides of the peaches are browned.

remove peaches from skillet to cool.

use a food processor or immersion blender to puree the peaches.

using a small paring knife or cupcake corer, remove a piece of cake from the center of each cooled cupcake.

fill each hole with approximately two tsp of peach puree.

in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter on HIGH speed for 5 minutes.

slowly mix in powdered sugar & beat for another five minutes.

mix in vanilla extract, salt & 1/4 cup peach puree & beat for 2 minutes.

frost (or pipe) frosting onto cupcakes.

sprinkle cupcakes with sanding sugar.

makes 12 cupcakes