• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line your cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners.

Wine Syrup

• Boil red wine and the tablespoon of sugar in a small saucepan until it reduces to half (about 10-15 minutes on medium low heat)

Cupcakes

• Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk powder into a mixing bowl of a stand mixer.
• With paddle attachment mix on low speed to combine.
• Add oil, water, eggs, and ¼ cup wine syrup one at a time to the flour mixture and continue mixing until blended together. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl.
• Scoop the cupcake batter out with a cookie scoop and place into cupcake pan and bake for 16 - 20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let cool.
• If you want more wine flavor, use a skewer and poke holes in top of cupcakes, use ⅛ cup of wine syrup and drizzle over tops of cupcake.

Buttercream Frosting

• In the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the confectioners sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla on low speed until combined.
• Stop the mixer and scrape the sides down.
• Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 more minutes. (If frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time until creamy)
• Stir in the remaining ⅛ cup wine syrup
• This will make 2 cups of frosting. Use a piping bag to frost cupcakes.