Chocolate Champagne Cupcakes

I have a friend at work leaving us for ten months to participate in Net Ministries, so I asked her what kind of cupcakes she would like. She wanted chocolate, I added the Champagne because she likes drinking. A inside joke at work.  For the cupcakes follow the recipe on the box, except to use champagne instead of water. The extra dry gave it a bitter kick to the chocolate, so I wanted a simple but not plain icing. 

For the icing I kept with my stick of butter, one package of cream cheese, a teaspoon of vanilla, and regular box of powder sugar. I added lots of red food coloring and 4 tablespoons of maraschino cherry juice. For the best advice slowly add the cherry juice to your liking. It is still a work in progress, maybe next time I will only use half of the cream cheese. 

Cherry Cream Icing

1 Stick of butter

8 oz. cream cheese 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (always use pure vanilla extract if possible)
4 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
4 cups powdered confectioners sugar (I ended up using a whole one pound box)
1 Tablespoon  heavy whipping cream 
Red Food Coloring 

*Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds.
*Add extract, maraschino cherry juice, and drops of coloring (I wanted it very red)
*Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
*Slowly add the heavy cream
*Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
*Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)