Description
This Pink Champagne Cake is a light and fluffy layered cake featuring a delicate pink hue and the elegant flavor of pink champagne. The cake layers are moist and tender, complemented by a creamy, slightly boozy pink champagne buttercream frosting. Perfect for celebrations or special occasions, this cake combines the sophisticated flavor of champagne with a classic vanilla cake base, enhanced by an optional touch of pink food coloring for a stunning presentation.
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 and Frosting:
- 2 ¼ cups pink champagne
- 1 ½ cups salted butter (softened)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour 3 8-inch round cake pans, tapping out any excess flour. Line the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Make the Batter Base: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened unsalted butter until creamy. Add granulated sugar, neutral oil, and vanilla extract and mix until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Alternate Adding Flour and Buttermilk: With the mixer on low, add about half of the dry flour mixture (approximately ½ cup/70g) to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Then add half of the buttermilk. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk in the same manner.
- Alternate Adding Flour and Pink Champagne: Still on low speed, gently stir in another portion of the flour mixture just until combined. Add half of the pink champagne, then add another portion of flour, the remaining pink champagne, and finally the remaining flour, mixing gently to combine.
- Add Food Coloring: If using pink food coloring, add a few drops now and gently stir to distribute the color evenly throughout the batter. Set the batter aside.
- Whip Egg Whites: In a clean, dry, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on low speed until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high and continue beating until stiff peaks form, which means the peaks hold firmly when the beaters are lifted.
- Fold Egg Whites into Batter: Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter using a spatula. Avoid overmixing—fold until the mixture is uniform and well combined to keep the batter light and airy.
- Divide and Bake: Evenly divide the batter into the prepared cake pans, about 470 grams per pan. Place the pans on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen, then carefully invert the cakes onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Pink Champagne Reduction: In a small skillet or saucepan, simmer 2 ¼ cups pink champagne over medium heat until reduced to about 6 tablespoons (roughly 88 ml), which takes around 10 minutes. Pour the reduced champagne into a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool completely. Refrigerate to speed cooling if desired.
- Make Frosting: In a large bowl, beat 1 ½ cups softened salted butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add 6 cups powdered sugar, about 1 cup (125g) at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl sides. Stir in ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. Then, add the cooled pink champagne reduction little by little (about 1 tablespoon at a time) and mix until the frosting is smooth and fully combined.
- Assemble the Cake: Once the cakes have completely cooled, level their tops if needed. Place the first layer on a serving platter and spread an even layer of frosting on top. Repeat with the remaining layers, then apply an even coat of frosting around the entire cake. Use any extra frosting for decorative swirls or piping as desired. Optionally, add sprinkles for a festive touch.
Notes
- Using room temperature ingredients helps achieve a smoother batter and better volume.
- Ensure the mixing bowl and beaters are completely clean and grease-free before whipping egg whites for optimum stiffness.
- Pink food coloring is optional if you prefer a natural subtle pink hue from the champagne.
- Make sure to let the cakes cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- The pink champagne reduction intensifies the champagne flavor in the frosting without making it runny.
- Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 28 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Pink Champagne Cake, Pink Champagne Buttercream, Celebration Cake, Layer Cake, Party Cake, Champagne Dessert, Festive Cake
