The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Find recipes for Champagne Cake, Eggnog Bars and Snowy-Topped Brownie Drops,
Cake queen Anne Byrn includes a recipe for a Pink Champagne Cake in her latest book. She calls for a touch of pink food coloring, but we skipped the dye and the pink bubbles in favor of white champagne. If you want to color the cake and frosting, add just a tiny bit of food coloring at the end of the mixing process; Byrn suggests Wilton pink coloring paste. FOR THE CAKE Butter and flour for prepping the
pans 3 cups cake flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 6 large egg whites, at room
temperature 1 cup champagne, at room
temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at
room temperature For the frosting 1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted
butter, at room temperature 8 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted 4 to 5 tablespoons champagne 1 teaspoon vanilla extract White chocolate shavings, sliced strawberries, coconut, or edible rose petals for garnish
Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-inch layer pans. Shake out the excess flour; set pans aside.
Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-size bowl, and sift to combine well. Set aside.
Place the egg whites, champagne, vanilla and oil in a large mixing bowl, and whisk by hand until well blended. Set aside.
Place the sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and light, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour mixture and the egg white mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the pink coloring. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and place the pans in the oven.
Bake until the cakes just pull back from the sides of the pans, 23 to 27 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven, and place them on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edges of each pan, give each cake a gentle shake, then invert it once and then again onto the rack to cool completely, right side up, 30 minutes.
While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add 6 cups of the confectioners’ sugar, the champagne and vanilla. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, adding what you need to make the frosting thick but spreadable. (I think 6 to 7 cups is plenty, but if you like tons of icing, use the full 8 cups.) Increase the mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until the frosting is fluffy, 30 seconds.
To assemble the cake, place 1 layer on a cake plate. Spread about 1 cup cup of the frosting to the edges. Place a second layer on top and repeat. Place the third layer on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish as desired, depending on the occasion. Slice and serve. Serves: 12 — Adapted from “American Cake” by Anne Byrn (Rodale, $29.99).
Per serving: 973 calories (percent of calories from fat, 42), 4 grams protein, 136 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 46 grams fat (27 grams saturated), 116 milligrams cholesterol, 255 milligrams sodium.