Pink Champagne Cake

 

THE PINK CHAMPAGNE CAKE WAS ONE OF THREE I baked for my Mother's 90th birthday party. When I told her I was making three cakes and asked what kind would she like she said she liked pound cake with chocolate frosting. Check. She also suggested coconut cake. Check. For the third, she said, "surprise me".

I decided on the pink champagne cake because I thought it sounded feminine and celebratory. Also, Mama loves champagne!

I have talked about my amazing Mother before. She still lives in her own home, she still goes to the gym three times a week, plays bridge, and drives. She has always been very considerate of other people and has been active in her church; as a result she has developed many, many friends over the years. She is a fabulous cook and loves to entertain.

As the RSVP's poured in, I starting worrying three cakes would not be enough, so I asked Jasmine (the professional chef of the family) if she would bake some cupcakes just in case. Wouldn't it be sad to have a birthday party without enough birthday cake for everyone?

I thought the cutest thing was an interaction between Mama and her 5-year-old great grandson. He knew it was her birthday and asked how old she was. When she answered 90, his eyes got big in disbelief and he replied, "And you're not even dead!"

Pink Champagne Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour (3) 8 inch cake pans

3 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
5 egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup pink champagne
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
pink food coloring (optional)

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a  bowl and set aside.

In another bowl whisk together egg whites, vegetable oil, pink champagne, and vanilla. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar 3 to 4 minutes until creamy and light.

Add flour and sugar mixture and egg mixture  alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the pink coloring, if using.

Divide batter between prepared pans and smooth with offset spatula. Bake until cake just pulls back from sides of the pan, 23 to 27 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges, shaking gently. invert once, then again. Cool completely, right side up.


Pink Champagne Buttercream

4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
12 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup pink champagne
pink food coloring (optional)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth and lightened in color.Mix in salt and vanilla.

Gradually add the sugar, along with the pink champagne until sugar is incorporated. Beat at medium speed until very smooth, adding the color while mixing.

Notes:

Don't be discouraged if butter mixture starts curdling with the addition of the pink champagne. Just keep adding powdered sugar and mixing. It will come together.

Using a toothpick, I added tiny amounts of pink food coloring gel.

This recipe makes a lot of buttercream for piping.

I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to make the rosettes.