champagne cake

Desserts

Champagne Cake

Let the delicate champagne flavor in the cake be the star of the dessert. Serve it with simple accompaniments like a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream, fresh raspberries or fresh strawberries. For a champagne-themed party, serve the cake alongside mimosa butter cookies, jellied champagne in glasses and champagne party punch.

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sour cream
6 egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup whole milk
frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
9 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons champagne
2/3 to 3/4 cup whole milk
white, silver or gold sprinkles, for decorating

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, simmer champagne until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add sour cream and vanilla extract; mix until combined. Add egg whites, 1 at a time; beat until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Alternate adding dry ingredients, milk and reduced champagne into stand mixer until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour batter evenly into 3 parchment-lined 8-in. cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22-25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto a wire rack; cool completely.
To make frosting, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and champagne in a bowl until smooth. Beat in milk until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup of frosting. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining frosting. If desired, decorate with white, silver, gold or sparkly sprinkles or sugar pearls.