Champagne Cake I Food

CHAMPAGNE CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10-inch round cake pan.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, and then blend into creamed mixture alternately with champagne.
• In a large clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into batter to lighten it, then fold in remaining egg whites. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

PINK CHAMPAGNE CAKE

Steps:

• Use a box of white cake mix (NO pudding) and substitute champagne - 1/2 to 3/4 cup to replace all of the liquid called for in the cake mix. So if the box says 3/4 cup water replace with 3/4 cup champagne. I did use one that had 1 1/4 cups water and replaced with champagne, just depends on the cake mix brand you buy. The kind of champagne/sparkling wine (pink, white, sweet, dry) used will determine the flavor. I usually just buy the cheap pink sparkling stuff in the grocery store, it's sweet and yummy in this!
• Tint with red food coloring to a soft pink, use a drop at a time, this stuff will stain, probably take about 3 drops.
• Bake cake as instructed on box. I usually make in 9x13-inch pan, but for an elegant layer cake use two 9 round cake pans, a heart pan would be perfect for Valentine's Day!
• Creamy champagne frosting:.
• Beat 1 cup softened butter for 30 seconds. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar.
• Beat in 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup champagne, and 1 TB vanilla.
• Beat in 5-5 1/2 more cups powdered sugar till you can spread it or is consistency you want.
• Add red coloring till pink color, again slowly add a drop at a time till color you want. Frost completely cooled cake.
• This is excellent served the next day after being refrigerated all night so the flavors can blend!

CHAMPAGNE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat the bottom of a 9 by-13-inch cake pan with cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, Champagne, vegetable oil, and egg whites. Beat on low speed with an electric mixer until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and cool completely.
• Empty the frosting into a small bowl and add the Champagne flavoring. Stir to combine and set aside.
• To make the mini-cakes, with a 3-inch ring mold (or use an 8-ounce pineapple can with top and bottom removed) stamp out 6 cakes. Slice the cakes in half, horizontally, to make layers. Frost the bottom layer, replace the top layer and frost the tops and sides of cake. Decorate with the disco balls, Dragees, and glitter, if using.
• Cook's notes: Champagne flavoring and edible glitter are available where cake and candy making supplies are sold. Dragees, or silver candy balls, are not available in all states.

PINK CHAMPAGNE CAKE

Steps:

• For the pink champagne cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat three 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray.
• Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until the flour is just blended. Combine the Champagne and milk. Beat in half of the Champagne mixture. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the Champagne mixture, ending with flour and incorporating fully. Set aside.
• Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer just until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the batter. Then fold in the remaining egg whites.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool completely.
• For the stabilized whipped cream: Pour the heavy cream into a medium bowl. Add the powdered milk, vanilla and 6 tablespoons of the confectioners' sugar. With an electric mixer, beat the cream until it reaches stiff peaks, adding additional confectioners' sugar if needed for desired consistency. (Makes 2 cups.)
• For the strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream: Place a glass bowl over a saucepan filled with approximately 1 inch of water; bring to a simmer. Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl. Cook, whisking constantly, until the egg whites are hot, the sugar is dissolved and the temperature of the mixture has reached about 140 degrees F. (You can test this by rubbing a small amount between your fingers to make sure it's not gritty.)
• Pour the hot egg mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the whisk attachment until the bottom of the bowl is no longer warm and the meringue is thick and glossy, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Slowly add the butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated. The mixture may curdle; keep beating and it will come back together. Continue beating until the mixture is silky and smooth. If it becomes too thin, refrigerate for around 15 minutes and then beat until it comes together.
• Add the pureed strawberries, vanilla extract, salt and a splash of lemon juice. Mix until smooth. (Makes 5 cups.)
• To assemble the cake: Fold the diced strawberries into the stabilized whipped cream, then spread half of the strawberry whipped cream on the top of one cake layer. Place a second cake layer on top of the filling. Repeat with the remaining half of the whipped cream. Place the third cake layer on top of the second. Frost the entire cake, top and sides, with the strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream.

PINK CHAMPAGNE CAKE WITH BAVARIAN CREAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl of an electric mixer, let egg white warm to room temperature about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Sift flour with sugar, baking powder and salt into another bowl. Make a well in the center.
• Add in order: oil, egg yolks, 1/2 cup water, vanilla and coconut extract. Beat with a spoon until smooth.
• In the large bowl of an electric mixer, at high speed, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form when beater is lifted.
• With a wire whisk or rubber scraper, using an over and motion, gently fold egg yolks/flour batter mixture into egg white mixture until just blended.
• Pour into two 8-inch round cake pans which have been greased and floured. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. You can split each of these layers to make 4 layers, if desired.
• Ice with the following recipe.
• Champagne Icing.
• Mix all ingredients together; beat with mixer until thickened. Split cake and spread between layers and all over cake. Grate pink, chocolate or tinted coconut over top of cake. Refrigerate.
• Bavarian Cream - Optional.
• The day before making cake, or early in the day, in a double boiler combine gelatin, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir in egg yolks. Then slowly add milk. Cook over boiling water, stirring until moisture coats the spoon. Remove at once.
• Refrigerate until slightly thicker than unbeaten egg whites. Beat egg whites until they form moist peaks when the beater is raised. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the sugar, beating until stiff. Fold into yolk mixture along with whipped cream, vanilla. Leave in bowl until ready to use.