Martha Stewart Champagne Cake Food

ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degress, with rack in lower third of the oven. Sift together flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Repeat sifting four times.
• Beat egg whites and the warm water with a mixer on low speed until foamy. Add salt, cream or tartar, and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Raise speed to high, and beat until peaks are stiff and glossy (but not dry), about 2 minutes more.
• Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture in six parts, gently folding in each addition with a rubber spatula.
• Gently pour batter into a 10-inch tube pan. Run a knife through the batter to release any air bubbles, and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Invert pan on a wire rack, and let cake cool about 1 hour. Carefully run a paring knife around side of cake to loosen, then unmold onto the wire rack.
• Arrange cotton candy in a ring shape on a serving platter. Lay cake on top of cotton candy "cloud." Serve with caramel whipped cream, if desired.

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.

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.

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 LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Spray bottoms and sides of two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, stir together cake mix and 1 1/4 cups champagne. Add oil, egg whites and food color; beat with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pans.
• Bake as directed on box for 8- or 9-inch rounds. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In medium bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. On serving plate, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down. Frost top of cake layer. Top with second layer, rounded side up. Frost side and top of cake. Sprinkle with garnishes. Store loosely covered.

CHAMPAGNE CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), Grease and flour one 9 inch round and one 9x13 inch pan.
• In a very large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
• Add milk, 1 cup shortening, 1/2 cup champagne, vanilla, and, if desired, red food coloring. Beat on low to medium speed about 30 seconds or just till combined, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.
• Add unbeaten egg whites and beat for 2 minutes (Batter may appear slightly curdled).
• Spread 2 3/4 cups batter in 9inch round pan and remaining batter in 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes for round cake and 40 to 45 minutes for rectangular cake or until cake tests done. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely.
• To make the frosting: In a bowl beat 3/4 cup shortening and butter until combined. Beat in 1 tablespoon champagne. Beat in sifted powdered sugar and a few drops red food coloring. If necessary, beat in additional champagne to make frosting spreading consistency. Makes 3-3/4 cups.
• Using cardboard circle patterns of 4 and 6 inches, cut one 4-inch and one 6-inch cake layer from the 9x13 inch cake. If desired, drizzle 3 tablespoons of champagne over the top of each round cake layer. Place the 9-inch cake layer on a serving plate; frost sides and top. Lining up the backs of the layers, place the 6-inch cake on top of the 9-inch cake. Frost sides and top. Repeat with remaining 4-inch cake. If desired, tint any remaining frosting and decorate with tinted frosting and flowers. Serves 24.

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!

ORANGE GINGER POPPY SEED CAKE (MARTHA STEWART)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan. Beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until light-coloured. Gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time. Add orange rind, ginger mixture, vanilla and poppy seeds; mix until well combined.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add slowly to egg mixture, alternating with yogurt, until well blended. Pour batter into cake pan and bake until a tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.