Elegant Pink Champagne Cake
This Elegant Pink Champagne Cake is a refined celebration dessert made with real champagne reduction for concentrated flavor. Featuring tender white cake layers with a soft blush hue and a silky champagne Swiss meringue buttercream, it is the ultimate gourmet party centerpiece.
Equipment
- cake pans
- stand mixer
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cups champagne or sparkling wine (for reduction)
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 drop pink gel food coloring
- 5 large egg whites (buttercream)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (buttercream)
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened (buttercream)
- 1/4 cup champagne reduction (buttercream)
- 1 pinch fine sea salt (buttercream)
Instructions
- Simmer 2 cups of champagne over medium heat until reduced to exactly 1 cup, about 15–20 minutes. Refrigerate until completely cold.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans. Sift together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add butter to dry ingredients and mix until sandy. Whisk egg whites, milk, vanilla, chilled champagne reduction, and pink gel. Add liquids slowly and beat 2 minutes.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 25–30 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.
- Heat egg whites and sugar over a double boiler to 160°F. Whip to stiff peaks, then add butter gradually. Mix in champagne reduction and salt.
- Level cakes, stack with buttercream between layers, and frost exterior smoothly or semi-naked. Chill briefly before serving.
Notes
For best flavor, use a dry brut champagne you enjoy drinking and allow the champagne reduction to cool completely before using.