Description
This Pink Champagne Cake is a light and elegant dessert featuring tender cake layers infused with pink champagne and frosted with a rich pink champagne buttercream. The cake combines the delicate flavors of champagne with a moist crumb, making it perfect for celebrations or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Layers
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup neutral cooking oil (canola, vegetable, or avocado)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup pink champagne
- 6 large egg whites (room temperature preferred)
- Pink food coloring (optional)
Pink Champagne Reduction
- 2 ¼ cups pink champagne
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups salted butter (softened)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- Pink champagne reduction (from above)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, tapping out any excess flour, and line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Make the Cake Batter Base: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla extract and continue mixing until the mixture is well combined and creamy.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Incorporate Flour and Buttermilk: With your mixer on low speed, alternate adding portions of the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix each addition just until combined to avoid overmixing, ensuring a tender crumb.
- Incorporate Flour and Pink Champagne: Continue on low speed, alternating additional portions of the flour with half of the pink champagne, then the remaining champagne and flour. Stir gently to combine, maintaining the batter’s light texture.
- Add Food Coloring: If using pink food coloring, add a few drops now and gently stir to incorporate evenly into the batter. Set the batter aside.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a clean, dry mixing bowl free of grease, beat the egg whites starting on low speed until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form — the whites should be thick, opaque, and hold firm peaks when the beaters are lifted.
- Fold Egg Whites into Batter: Using a spatula, gently fold the stiff egg whites into the cake batter carefully until fully incorporated and uniform, preserving the airiness of the mixture.
- Bake Cake Layers: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (~470 grams per pan). Place them on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10-15 minutes. Carefully run a knife along the edges to loosen the cakes, invert onto cooling racks, and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Pink Champagne Reduction: In a small skillet or saucepan, simmer 2 ¼ cups of pink champagne over medium heat, reducing it to about 6 tablespoons (approximately 88 ml). This takes around 10 minutes. Pour the reduction into a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool completely, refrigerating if needed to speed up cooling.
- Make Frosting: Beat the softened salted butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, about one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl sides. Stir in the vanilla extract, then slowly incorporate the cooled pink champagne reduction one tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and fully combined.
- Assemble the Cake: Level the cooled cake layers if necessary. Place the first layer on a serving platter, spread an even layer of frosting over it, then repeat with the remaining layers. Apply a smooth, even layer of frosting around the outside of the cake. Use any remaining frosting for decorative swirls on top with a piping tip if desired. Add sprinkles as a finishing touch and serve.
Notes
- Using room temperature ingredients (butter, egg whites) helps achieve better batter consistency and volume.
- Stiffly whipped egg whites are crucial for a light, airy cake texture; make sure mixing bowls and beaters are completely clean and grease-free.
- Pink food coloring is optional, added only to enhance the cake’s pink hue without affecting flavor.
- Reduce the pink champagne carefully and measure to avoid over-reduction, which can intensify flavor and sweetness.
- The frosting can be adjusted to desired consistency by adding more powdered sugar for thicker texture or more champagne reduction for softness.
- Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-28 minutes per batch
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Pink Champagne Cake, Champagne Cake, Celebration Cake, Pink Cake, Layer Cake, Buttercream Frosting
