CHAMPAGNE AND STRAWBERRIES CAKE RECIPE

CHAMPAGNE AND STRAWBERRIES CAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 cups (342 g) cake flour
• 1 Tablespoon (15g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (2g) salt
• 6 egg whites (194g)
• 1 cup (242 g) champagne
• 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (18g)
• 1 teaspoon (4g)strawberry extract
• 2 cups (400g) sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) (226g) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup of finely chopped strawberries

CHAMPAGNE SIMPLE SYRUP

• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/2 cup (116g) champagne

FOR THE STRAWBERRY WHIPPED CREAM FILLING

• 8 oz (226g) Full Fat Cream Cheese, softened (don't microwave)
• 1 1/2 Cup (156g) Sifted Powdered Sugar
• 1/4 Cup (46g) Strawberry Puree (puree about 5-6 medium strawberries)
• 1 Teaspoon(4g) Strawberry Extract
• 1 cup (232g) heavy cream

FOR THE STRAWBERRIES AND CHAMPAGNE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• 3 sticks (339g) Unsalted Butter slightly softened
• 1/4 Cup Pureed Strawberries (approximately 5-6 medium strawberries)
• 1/4 Cup Champagne
• 1/2 teaspoon (3g) Salt (optional) this will cut the sweetness (popcorn salt will dissolve more quickly)
• 7 1/2 -8 cups (863g) Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon (4g) strawberry extract

INSTRUCTIONS
For the Cake

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three (8 inch) pans
2. In a medium size bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
3. In another bowl combine the egg whites, champagne, vanilla, strawberry extract, and vegetable oil. Whisk until blended and set aside.
4. In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and sugar 3 to 5 minutes. When it is light and fluffy add approximately 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Then add 1/2 of the liquid ingredients mixing until blended. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients. Begin and end with dry ingredients (3 additions of dry and 2 wet). *Makes 7 1/2 cups of batter.
5. Pour into prepared pans and sprinkle finely chopped strawberries over the batter, trying to avoid clumping the strawberries together. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted the center comes out clean. Cool in baking pans 10 min. then turn out.

For the Champagne Simple Syrup

1. In a small saucepan add the sugar and champagne. Over medium heat, cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly until the mixture is clear. Remove from the heat and cool completely before using. It can be stored in the refrigerator approximately 2 weeks.
2. Use sparingly on your cake layers. Using a toothpick or skewer, make a few holes on the top of each cake layer. Remember that using too much syrup can cause the cake to become soggy. Using a pastry brush, brush the simple syrup on top of each cake layer. Now you are ready to fill and frost your cake.

For the Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Filling:

1. Chill the whisk attachment or beaters of a handheld mixer in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
2. In a medium sized bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, strawberry puree and strawberry extract. Mix until blended. Slowly add the heavy cream and beat until fluffy- this will take about 2 minutes.
3. This is a soft filling and so you'll want to pipe a dam of frosting about 1/2 inch from the edge of the cake layers, then spread filling within the dam. Makes about 3 cups.

For the Champagne and Strawberries Buttercream Frosting

1. In the bowl of your mixer, cream the softened butter until smooth. Blend in strawberry extract.
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar along with the champagne and strawberries until the powdered sugar is incorporated. Beat at medium speed 3 to 4 minutes. The texture will become very smooth. If you are tinting the entire batch of buttercream light pink, you can add a very small amount of coloring gel while it is mixing.
3. If the buttercream is too thin add more powdered sugar.

This article adapted from this site