Today we are excited to share a uniquely light and flavorful recipe with you for Pink Champagne Cake.
This elegant dessert, with its moist champagne infused layers & delicious buttercream is perfect for weddings, engagement parties, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, or any occasion that calls for something special.
Why Pink Champagne Cake? A Quick History!
Southern bakers have been flavoring their cakes with sweet beverages for decades (cocoa cola cake, 7 up cake, etc.)…but Pink Champagne cake takes that practice to a whole new level of delicious sophistication.
It is believed that Pink Champagne Cake first originated on the west coast in the ’50s and ’60s, and was a hugely popular to choice for bridal showers, weddings, and bachelorette parties.
There’s just something a bit glamorous about a dessert flavored with Pink Champagne, don’t you think? The Los Angeles Times printed a Pink Champagne Cake decades ago and to this day it remains one of it’s most requested.
If you like Pink Champagne, you are going to fall in love with this recipe. While the pink champagne isn’t overpowering, the flavor is unmistakable.
We love to fill it with our Pink Champagne Buttercream Frosting, but traditionally pink champagne cakes have often been paired with bavarian cream or coconut fillings.
We hope that you enjoy this fantastic recipe. Make sure to check out our other Pink Champagne Cake (doctored cake mix version) linked below, as well as our Strawberries and Champagne Cake!
More champagne cake recipes!
If you are looking for an easy doctored cake mix version of Pink Champagne Cake, we love this DELICIOUS recipe!: Pink Champagne Cake (doctored cake mix) Recipe.
Also, don’t miss our Champagne and Strawberries cake recipe!
This amazing recipe consists of Champagne & Strawberry cake layers, a whipped strawberry cream cheese filling, and Champagne & Strawberry Buttercream Frosting!
Find the recipe here: Champagne and Strawberries Cake
More Cake Tutorials and Recipes
Don’t miss our other favorite tried and true cake recipes in our Cake Recipes Section! If you are interested in learning more about cake decorating, we have lots of fun cake tutorials to share in our Free Tutorials section, including a Free Cake Videos section!
If you would like to have full access to the hundreds of cake decorating video tutorials that we’ve made over the years, we would love to have you as a member of My Cake School!
We have tons of cake tutorials for all skill levels. You can find all of the details here!: Joining information for MyCakeSchool.com.
Thanks so much for stopping by! We hope that you enjoy this champagne cake as much as we have!
Pink Champagne Cake {Scratch Recipe}
This flavorful Pink Champagne Cake will make any occasion feel more special!
Ingredients
For the Pink Champagne Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour 3 (8 inch) pans
- 3 cups (342 g) cake flour
- 1 Tablespoon (15 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2g) salt
- 6 egg whites (194g)
- 1 cup (242g) pink champagne, I used Andre Blush Champagne
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (18 g)
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) (226 g) unsalted butter, softened slightly
- Small amount of pink food color, I used AmeriColor Deep Pink but any pink would be fine. I added the color with a toothpick, just a small amount will give you blush pink
For the Pink Champagne Buttercream
- 4 sticks (452g) unsalted butter, softened
- 12 cups (1380g) powdered sugar (depending on the desired consistency, more sugar = more crusting) If you prefer a frosting that crusts less, see the note at the bottom of the recipe.
- 4 teaspoons ( 16g) vanilla
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
- 1/2 cup (122g) pink champagne
- Pink Coloring Gel of Choice (We used a touch of Americolor Deep Pink)
Instructions
For the Cake
- In a medium size bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
- In another bowl combine the egg whites, champagne, vanilla and vegetable oil. Whisk until blended and set aside.
- 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). Add the pink color at any time during the mixing of the dry and wet ingredients. *Makes 7 1/2 cups of batter.
- Pour into prepared pans and 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 Pink Champagne Buttercream
- Cream the softened butter until smooth and lightened in color
- Blend in the salt and vanilla
- Gradually add the powdered sugar with the champagne 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.
- This recipe makes approximately 8 cups of frosting.
Notes
A Note about the Buttercream...
*For a softer buttercream with a much lighter crust, cut the amount of powdered sugar from 12 to 9 or 10 cups and cut the amount of champagne form 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon. Also, cut the salt to 1/2 teaspoon. This lighter consistency works well for cupcakes or cakes that don't require the Viva method of smoothing.
Hi Irina, Your cake is perfectly beautiful!! I am sorry there was a problem. In the picture I see dark red above the bottom layer and a thinner red streaks above that. Is that a raspberry filling? If it is I think that the filling or the cream cheese frosting, if it was very wet must have seeped into the cake layer making it too moist and heavy. That is what I think happened because if the layers came out of the oven and were nice and light something that came into contact with them must have caused the change. Let me know what you think.
Thank you for the answer. Yes, the red layer is raspberry jelly. I think the reason was cream and jelly. Butter cream is better for this sort of cake,but we don’t really like buttercream,that’s why decided to change it on other one. Next time will do with buttercream. Anyway, it was delicious…
Hi Irina, I think possibly the raspberry puree was not thick enough and seeped into the layer. Bakers use raspberry filling often without a problem so if you cook it a bit longer to reduce the liquid and thicken it, the problem could be solved. I’m sure next time will be better. I’m happy you liked the flavor.
Success with this lovely recipe everyone loved it❤
Also made cupcakes delish but I only wish they had more crown, otherwise perfection.
Hi Rachel, Thank you for the pictures, your cake and cupcakes look fantastic!! I find that often cupcakes baked from a scratch recipe are more level or have only a slight dome. To get more of a dome on your cupcakes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. As soon as you put the cupcakes into the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.
I made a 6″ double layer cake using half a recipe to test this after a couple failed recipes for strawberries and champagne cake. This recipe was great! Just sweet enough to pair well with the cream cheese buttercream strawberry champagne frosting i made. I was originally looking for a strawberry champagne cake. Is there a way to incorporate some strawberry puree into this recipe? Either way, thank you for this lovely cake recipe. I will definitely be making this one again! Please ignore the decorating skills or lack there of. I’m still figuring that part out! My warm hands keep melting the frosting through the piping bag :(
Cheers!
I used your recipe to make cupcakes last night. Such a light and fluffy cake! Mine were not at all dry and I baked them for almost 20 minutes at 325 in the convection oven. I did substitute raspberry flavored sparkling ICE water. This added plenty of coloring so I didn’t add any more. I do think i would cut the sugar back as I believe the flavored water added too much sweetness. My cakes didn’t dome, which doesn’t bother me, but I did find that the batter rose nicely and I nearly overfilled a few cups! This was my test run for a bridal shower and I will be making this batter again! Thanks so much!
Hi Kelly, Thank you for posting your thoughts on the recipe. One solution to “hot hands” when piping is to prepare two piping bags and when one bag becomes too warm, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes and pipe with the second bag. You can keep alternating bags this way until the piping is complete…..so happy you like the recipe.
Hi Jen, Thank you for trying the recipe and posting your thoughts. It is good to know about substitutions that can be used. I am trilled that you will be using the recipe for the bridal shower!!.
If I multiplied the recipe by 1.5 would it be enough for a 3 layer 9-inch cake, and the layers not be thin? Or would I need to double it?
Thanks, JoAnna
Hi JoAnna, This recipe makes 7 1/2 cups batter, multiplying it by half will give you 11 cups batter. This is a link to the Wilton chart, http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html. For a 9 inch pan Wilton uses 5 cups cake batter. I don’t usually use quite that much. Going by the Wilton chart you will need to double the recipe and you will have some leftover. How many cups of batter do you usually put in your 9″ pans. That will help you make your decision.
Hi. This looks lovely and I’m looking forward to baking it tomorrow! Just wondering what your thoughts are on using whole eggs instead of egg whites. I prefer the yolk in cakes and cookies for the richness in flavor and binding the moisture in. Can you let me know how this would alter the consistency of the cake if I were to use the whole egg? Thank you!
Hi Susan, Using egg whites in this recipe give it a light and fluffy consistency and this fits with the idea of a champagne cake. It would be a bit more dense using whole eggs. I hope you like the recipe.
Hi!
I’d like to incorporate some fresh strawberries or a strawberry puree into this cake. I have looked and looked and cannot find a recipe! Someone else asked earlier.
Hello I am making this cake for an engagement party! I need to make it a little bigger to accommodate the crowd! I am planning on using three 10 inch pans. I baked a single from scratch recipe for the cake this evening to try it out using 9 inch pans and they came out a bit thinner and a crispier edge than I was expecting. Do you think doubling the recipe is enough or should I triple it to make the cakes thicker and accommodate for the bigger pans?
hi! I am
Going to make this for a child’s cake. Could I substitute champagne for pink soda? Thanks Sandra
Hi Sandra, I am not sure if the pink soda would add too much sugar. Some have used a sparkling white grape juice instead of champagne for a non-alcoholic version. The taste would not be quite the same but it would work. A small amount to pink coloring will give you the look you want.
ik bak deze taart eerste keer. Ik was heel geinteresserd door dit recept. ik kan niet zeggen dat het me lukt op 100%. da taar was stevig niet zo zacht als ik op de foto kan zien.
maar heel erg lekker
Hey! I made this cake and found it was really dense. I followed the recipe, do you think maybe I folded the egg whites in wrong?
Also this may be a silly question but does the champagne need to be sparkling or will that effect the cake as well?
Do I need to use clear vanilla to get a true pink colour in the sponge ?
Hi Lee, Yes, if you have clear vanilla on hand that is a good idea.
I think this is beautiful! I’d like to make it as a wedding cake. I’m just wondering how long it will stay fresh? Does it need to be eaten the same day or can it be frosted and decorated beforehand?
I made this cake following the directly exactly, and it failed…twice. It didn’t rise, didn’t seem to be enough batter for three layers, and isn’t light and fluffy but kind of dense and chewy. Are there any tips or techniques left out of the directions? I’ve made some complicated cake recipes and never had a cake not turn out. I was really disappointed.
Hi Jennifer, I am sorry you had a problem. I am not sure why you would not have enough batter. I think this is the first comment about not enough batter so I am a bit stumped. Did you weigh the ingredients? If so, did you zero out the weight of the bowl before weighing? Were you using 8 x 2 inch cake pans? When a cake doesn’t rise I always suggest checking to see if the baking powder of out of date. Look forward to hearing from you.
Delish! Made this cake for a tasting…. the Bride fell in love with it! My family… even the picky eaters are head over heels for this cake. I added my fresh strawberry filling to it! Yummo❤️
Hi Ann-Marie, I am delighted that the Bride and your family enjoyed the cake!!!! A strawberry filling sounds divine with this recipe!! Thank you so much for posting your review!!
hi
does it matter if the champagne has gone flat?
I’m sorry, Nancy, but I don’t know how the result would be.
strawberry filling sounds great, what recipe do we use for filling?
Hi Anne, For a strawberry filling:
2 to 2 1/2 cups strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
Thinly slice the strawberries, add to a saucepan with the sugar and cornstarch. Slowly heat the strawberries and sugar, pressing the strawberries against the side of the pan to crush. Gradually increase the heat, stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from the heat. The mixture will continue to thicken a bit more as it cools. Cool completely before using as a filling. Don’t spread all the way to the edge of the cake layers, stop about 1 inch from the edge. As a cake layer covers it, it will spread closer to the edge.
Best champagne cake recipe ive found! I halved this recipe and made 12 cupcake instead of a full cake and made a vanilla bean champagne butter cream frosting and they were the bomb! You can taste the champagne in the cake and theyre light and fluffy. Most recipes ive tried come out heavy and dense or you cant taste champagne at all. This was perfect thank you so much!
Hi Victoria, Thank you so much for your nice review of the recipe, so happy you gave it a try.
I just make the cake. It was soft, moist and so good. Will be making it again and again.
Hi Brenda! I’m so happy that you loved the recipe! Thanks so much for your feedback. xoxo
Hi, thanks for sharing this recipe it seemed really easy to do, although all 3 of my cakes sank in the middle ? before I’d even opened the oven, any advice would be welcome, as I have to now re do it again, as it’s my my Nieces communion after party. I used caster sugar instead of granulated, (I’m in the UK) but I did increase the sugar amount accordingly, thank you X
Hi Jackie, I’m sorry your cakes sank. I think the problem was with the extra sugar added. Sugar is considered to be as a liquid in a recipe. Use the measurement listed in the recipe for your caster sugar. Granulated sugar in the UK is a much larger grain than our granulated sugar in the US. Our granulated sugar is actually closer to your caster sugar than. For this reason you can use the same measurement as we do. All will go well the next time you try the recipe.
Thanks for replying so quickly! Ok cool, I’ll give it another go with the same sugar amount. I did think maybe it was for that reason, as the top went very crusty as well. I only bought a small bottle of fizz, so I’m off to get another bottle ?? x
I was excited to try this, I followed directions carefully and read a few times before I started to make sure I had all the right items. well, the flavor was very nice, the cake after done with 2 layers was about one inch high, and was more the texture of shorbread, the frosting turned out great. because there was so little cake I had a lot of frosting left over so I had a box of cake mix and substituted the champagne for the water and it turned out nicely ( I did use ‘cake flour’ which I thought from what I know of it that it makes a lighter cake, ) in this case it did not
Hi, I was just wondering if I should weigh everything rather than measuring. If I weighed three cups of cake flour it was much more than what this recipe said. Should I just ignore what I got and rather work with the weight of everything on this recipe? Please help ??
Hi Julia, The most accurate measurement is to weigh your ingredients. Did you remember to zero out the weight of the bowl before adding the flour? To measure flour it should be lightly spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off with the back of a knife, it is 114 grams per cup (342g for 3 cups). If you were to dip a measuring cup into flour and sweep it out it would weight around 130 grams because you are packing it into the cup. Yes, work with the weight of everything in the recipe.
If this is the case and it relates to what happened in my case, then the recipe should indicate exactly to weigh the cup before adding flour and weigh the flour and what the weight should be per cup. I did not ‘pack’ the flour ( I have worked in restaurants most of my life an know proper ways to do things , but I have never made a cake like this before), thank you for sending me a mail that was in answer to Julia’s question, I guess you believed that the weight of flour was the problem and your answer to her should be the answer to my question/comment also
Hi Carol, I am sorry your cake did not rise to the correct height. This could be caused by a number of things. It could have been that your baking powder was out of date or an incorrect amount was used, an incorrect amount of liquid or mixing the batter for too long or at too high a speed. It is best to not beat above medium speed. Also, if 8 inch pans were not used the cake will not be as tall. For you comment on weighing the cup before adding the flour, that is not necessary. When using a digital scale there is a Tare (Zero) button on the scale. So when weighing flour, sugar, etc., you will place a bowl on the scale, then press the Tare button. This sets the scale to zero so the scale only shows the weight of the ingredient in the bowl, the weight of the bowl is removed. Let me know if you have other questions.
great recipie, thanks
I made this cake for a ladies card game and asked them to be honest as to whether they liked it or not. I do not like Champagne so I didn’t think I would be a good judge. They all raved about the cake! I made it once before on a different recipe and it was a flop. Went right in to the trash can. This cake was moist, tasty and was a hit. All 7 of us said this recipe is definitely a keeper and will be my go to for a Champagne Cake!!! I even liked it and as I said, I don’t care of Champagne! Thank you so much!!!
Hi Dawna, I’m so happy to hear that you all loved the recipe! Your picture is too cute, thanks so much for your feedback! xoxo
I’m going to make a cake for my daughters wedding. Will make a 10”, 8” and 6”. Is this cake too dense in either the scratch or store bought cake for stacking? Also want to incorporate strawberries into the frosting as well. I live in Colorado, what adjustments do I need to make for high altitudes? Thank you Judy
Hi Judy, The scratch version of the Pink Champagne cake is a bit softer than the doctored (cake mix) version, so the doctored might be better for stacking. I think the scratch recipe would be ok, we just have not tried it. We have a Strawberry Buttercream recipe in the recipe section that you might like to check out. It has pureed strawberries as an ingredient so you would need to refrigerate the completed cake. Keep in mind that if you slice fresh strawberries to use in between the layers, the strawberries will release a lot of juice which could soften the cake or leak through the frosting causing problems for you. We do not have first hand experience with high altitude baking as we live near sea level. Here is a link to a Craftsy post that I think you will find helpful
https://www.craftsy.com/baking/article/how-to-bake-at-high-altitude/
I am making a wedding cake, square, 10″, 8″, and 6″. Could you tell me how many times I need to multiply this recipe to get enough for those size cakes? I have 2″ tall pans and will make double layers. Thanks a bunch, can’t wait to try this!
Hi Kimmery, I most often use the cake batter amounts from Karen’s Kitchen Chart, here is the link
http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
The recipe makes 7 1/2 cups batter. The 6″ pans need 2 cups batter per pan
8 ” pans need 3 cups per pan
10″ pans need 6 cups per pan
I think if you triple the recipe you will have enough. Do you have a mixer large enough to accommodate this?
Thank you! Yes I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, I’m sure it can handle it. :-)
I must be figuring wrong…..in the July 1 comment, you state that 8” pans need 3 cups per pan, but this recipe says to be baked in 3 (8 inch) pans. Since this recipe makes 7-1/2 cups, does that not leave you short 1-1/2 cups?
Hi Lytane, In the July 1 comment I was linking her to the Karen’s Kitchen chart that suggests 3 cups per pan. We use that batter amount chart as well as Wiltons Chart as a guideline, but you do not need to strictly stick to it. There are times we want 3 layers for our cakes because we want more filling per slice and we just like the way it looks. The layers will not be as tall but the finished cake will look good. Just divide the batter between the 3 pans. I’m glad you asked, others may have the same question.
Made this cake last week for my girlfriend’s birthday. All the girls at our lunch loved it! I filled it with the pink champagne buttercream and frosted it with an Italian vanilla buttercream. Definitely adding this recipe to my favorites!
@Lyane- Great! I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks so much for your feedback, and love the photo! xo
is this recipe good for cupcakes also ?
Hi Adrienne, Yes the recipe does work well for cupcakes.
I left a comment about my cake getting hard when I cooled my cakes? What would have caused that?
Hi Stacie, I am sorry you had a problem with your cake . There is possibility that your oven may be baking at a higher temperature than what you have it set to. Check this with an oven thermometer. An overheated oven can cause your cake to be overbaked with hard edges. Were you using dark pans? If so, you should reduce the temperature by 25 degrees. It is best to use light colored pans. I am assuming you were using 8 inch pans, but if you are ever baking in pans 10 inches round or over or sheet cake pans, it will take longer for them to bake in order for the center to bake completely. You would need to put a heating core or rose nails in the center of the pan to help the cake bake more evenly. I hope this helps.
Did you use regular or clear vanilla in the cake and frosting?
Hi Mary, I usually specify if I use clear so I must have used regular vanilla, though it would be fine to use clear if you would like to do so.
I made the cake and frosting. It was delicious! However, my buttercream wouldnt set up! It kept falling off the cake so I couldn’t give it to my friend. The taste was delicious so I’m bummed. I want to remake but any advice for the icing??
Hi Cherbear, I am very sorry you had a problem. If it was falling, it was too soft. If you were making the buttercream on a humid day that can affect the amount of liquid you need. The next time you try, don’t add the champagne all at once. Add gradually until it reaches the consistency that works for you. Were you piping the same design on the side of the cake that Melissa used? If you were, also make sure that the top of each circle touches and attaches to the side of the cake. If the circles are attached to each other, it can slide down. Hope this helps.
Are there any changes that need to be made to make into cupcakes?
Hi LaQueanya, You do not need to make any adjustments for cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes. The cupcakes will bake up with very little dome.
Awesome cake! Thank you
Hiya, did you use self raising flour or plain flour?
Hi Beth, Use plain flour ….our US all purpose flour is the same as your plain flour. Hope you will enjoy the recipe.
Am I supposed to chill the champagne first before using in batter?
Hi Jan- No, you do not need to chill the champagne.
Can I make this into a sheet cake using 13” x 18” sheet pan?
Hi Jan, Yes, the recipe can be made in a sheet pan. This recipe makes 7 1/2 cups batter, for a 12×18 inch sheet pan you will need to double the recipe for 1 cake layer. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Below are links to two charts for cake batter amounts, I think you will find them helpful.
http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
Hi I’m Darcy.
I was wondering if it’s ok to use flat champagne?
Hi Darcy, I have not made the recipe using flat champagne but I think it would be fine. You will still be getting the champagne flavor.
What is your recommenced Max advance time for both the vale and icing? Birthday party is Saturday but we will be traveling there on Friday. Could I do one Wednesday and one Thursday then assemble cake there Saturday morning?
This is a delicious recipe, I added some champagne flavor from Amoretti because it needed it to me. My issue is the cake making a “well” in the middle. Is it cooking too fast or slow? I would like everyone’s best guess and I’ll experiment from there. Thanks!
Hi Melissa and Bebe,
I am just wondering if you think this recipe will work in a 26cm spring cake pan? I made this cake twice but in the 3 round 8 in pans and also as mini-cupcakes and they worked wonderfully. A have a client who wants 3 pink sparking cakes but in the 26 spring cake pan. I would love to hear from you!
Thanks in advance!
Hi Marcela, Baking in a deep pan, such as a springform can cause bakers problems unless they have experience and know what works for them. The cake will need to be baked at a lower temperature 300 or 325 degrees. The cake bakes from the outside in so without reducing the temperature the center will be under baked. Baking strips around the outside will help with more even baking, also using a baking core in the center of the pan. We decided we did not need to deal with deep pans so we don’t have a lot of experience with them. If you do not feel comfortable with the clients order, decline and eliminate the stress. I am sorry I don’t have more first hand experience on this for you.
So I have solved the problem with this cake using the reverse creaming method. The pan makes NO difference! Liz Marek explains it well on Sugar geek show but basically…all dry ingredients in the kitchen aid bowl..chunk in butter until course sand…add.8 oz of champagne, oil, flavors , colorAnd mix 2 minutes, very important or it won’t rise. Then add the egg whites and rest of champagne in three additions so it doesn’t break the mixture, then done. No well in the center and it bakes up great! I increased the oil a bit. Do not over bake it! Good luck.
Hi Bebe,
Thanks for the quick reply! I appreciate it! It is okay that you do not have more first-hand experience with this! I will follow the instructions gave by Jennifer White and see how it goes. I will come back to tell you about my experience! Thanks a lot for your attention!
Dear Jennifer White,
I wanna say THANK YOU so much for helping me by giving this wonderful solution!=) I have enough time to do some test run and see how it goes. So I am definitely accepting your suggestions!=) You said that Liz Marek gives an explanation about that on Sugar Geek Show, so I am gonna try to find it, but I guess maybe this is just something for members, although I do know she has a lot of free videos because I follow her on FB and Instagram. You said also that you increased the oil a bit…can I think of double the amount …maybe? Thanks again for sharing your experience! BTW, I was looking at your website and it is a lovely one!
The technic Liz talks about is in a free recipe or video. When I make this, I triple the recipe for my 7 qt kitchen aid bowl so I can use the entire bottle of champagne. In the triple recipe I use 3/4 cup of oil. Spend the outrageous money and buy the Amoretti champagne extract or compound. It makeS a big difference and is great in plain buttercream. Good luck!
Hi Jenniffer, thanks for all the valuable information! I’ll give it a try and I’ll come back to share my experience! Thanks again!
P.S.: I am following you on Instagram now to see more of your beautiful creations! ?
I made the champagne cake (doctored cake mix recipe) for my daughter’s wedding. The recipe made for a wonderful cake. It was so successful that my daughter volunteered me to make a cake for her maid of honor’s wedding. The only difference is she does not want champagne. What should I use to substitute the champagne? Or is there another recipe for a white cake that would have the same texture and doesn’t crumble. It was the best. JudyK
Hi Judy, We have not tried using a substitution, but I did find some online. Scroll up to entry #24 on February 24, 2015. Hope this helps.
Hello there!
As I promised, I came back to share my experience in making the champagne cake in a 26-cm springform. Results? The cake worked perfectly by using the reverse creaming method suggested by Jennifer White. Thanks Jennifer! It was really really delicious! I was so happy that it turned out incredibly delicious! I didn’t use champagne but a French Sparkling Wine, and the cake was served with the same wine I made it, and it was A-MAZ-ING!! I was over the moon with the results! I got so many compliments, that I blushed!I also did not use the champagne buttercream, but a white chocolate buttercream, the recipe from Liz Marek(Sugar Geek Show). I’m attaching some pictures, so you can see a bit. This was a test, and I took the cake for the birthday party of my best friend here in The Netherlands. It was a success! I’ll made it again in August, but this time for a wedding. Once again, thanks a bunch for the recipe and all the valuable tips. BTW, I tagged mycakeschool and @cupadee on Instagram.
Hi Marcela, I’m glad that it all worked out for you and I love the photo! It’s good to know how to adjust cakes to your liking using the creaming method that you prefer. We are probably evenly split on the recipes on our site that use reverse creaming and those that use traditional creaming because some of our readers like the fluffiness and familiarity of the traditional while others like the ease and tighter crumb of reverse. Glad to hear your feedback, this has been a really popular recipe of ours over the years and is still one of my favorites!! ;0)
Hi Melissa,
Your cake looks yummy. I can’t wait to try and make it. I was gluten free for years and since having my gallbladder removed I can have gluten again!!! Yeah! My birthday is Friday and my favorite cake is pink champagne, I miss it so I am going to make it!
I thought you might like to know where exactly the Pink Champagne Cake was originally from. It was originally made in Bremerton, Washington at McGavin’s Bakery. They still make it today and apparently the only one that knows the recipe is the owner. There was an article posted in the Kitsap Sun on April 5, 2001 about it. And his cakes are to die for! Best wedding cake ever!
Hi Cassandra, For standard size cupcakes, bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. This recipes makes 7 1/2 cups batter so you will have more than 24 cupcakes.
I made this cake tonight using fondant outside and whipped cream with slices of strawberries between the layers. While this was a much easier recipe than the 27 step one my daughter originally asked me to do for her birthday, I found the cake didn’t rise as I would have expected and was on the dry side to me. Would the reverse screaming method address this?
I made this cake, came out so good.
Thank you,
Hi Raji, Wonderful! I am happy you gave the recipe and try and enjoyed it. Great looking cake! Thanks for posting.
Hi, I tried this recipe with just plain white wine and it worked like a charm. But I was wondering, what if I use mangoes that I blended instead of the wine? Will that work too? I want the cake to have the fresh mango flavor in every bite. Please let me know what you think? Thanks
Hi Anna, I have never tried using mangoes so I can’t answer your question. If you give it a try, I would love to know if it worked for you.
So i made this with peach fruitscato in cupcake form.
Cuppies turned out amazing. Made the buttercream again with the peach fruitscato- super creamy and light but im not sure on the flavore
Hi Denise, Your cupcakes look wonderful! Thanks so much posting your variation of the recipe, sure sounds like it would be good.
What if I want to use this for 3 layer 6” pans – how long would that baking time be? And would it be the same temp?
Hi Isabel, This recipe makes approximately 7 1/2 cups batter. If using 3 round pans that are 6×2, you can have 2 cups of batter in each pan. You will have a little batter leftover for a few cupcakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. I hope you will enjoy the cake. Below is a link to a cake batter amount and baking times chart.
http://fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
Thank you BeBe I can’t wait to try this!
Morning or Afternoon
I was just wondering if the temperature is in degrees Fahrenheit or degrees Celsius, I am taking a feuds it is in Fahrenheit but I would just like to make sure.
Hi Cassandra, The temperature is in Fahrenheit
Hi. I have not been able to find Andre Blush Champagne. What would be another good choice?
Thank you,
Tammi
Hi Tammi, You can use any brand of champagne. You can use prosecco or various sparkling wines. Hope you will enjoy the recipe.
Thank you!
Tammi
Hi is it okay if I use rose brut?
Hi Courtney, Yes, I think that will be fine. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Can I bake my cake rounds ahead of time and freeze them? Is this recipe ok to hold up in the freezer for a few days before finishing?
Thanks!
Hello! Yes, we prefer to freeze our cake layers as we feel it makes them even more moist.
Bake the cake layers, then while they are still warm, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and foil & freeze. We always have cake boards on hand and so we flip our layers onto foil-wrapped cake boards for extra support and wrap them up to freeze.
The general rule is layers cab be frozen for 2 to 3 months- they’ll taste as fresh as the day they were made. If in a hurry, freezing for just a few hours is fine also. To thaw, remove from freezer and keep wrapped until condensation begins to form on the foil. Then unwrap and continue to thaw. Enjoy the recipe!
My mom used to freeze her batter in the pans without cooking first. When company came she would just pop a frozen batter pan in the oven. Always the most delicious cake you ever had. Light and fluffy.
Hi Barbara, That is so interesting, I’ll have to give that a try.
Did this for a wedding & So disappointed. Is was very dry
Hi Rachel, I am so sorry your cake was dry, it should have been light, fluffy and moist. Did you use cake flour and measure the flour using a food scale? If you do not have a scale, measure the flour by spooning it into a measuring cup for dry ingredients. Slightly overfill the cup and level off the top with the back of a knife. Also, over baking can make cake layers dry.
Hi – the cake didn’t raise well, is baking powder what you intended to put in the recipe rather than soda?
Hi Karen, Baking powder is the correct ingredient. I am sorry your cake did not rise as high as it should have. Did you add 1 Tablespoon (not teaspoon) of baking powder? Another possible cause could be that your baking powder is out of date or near the expiration date.
I was wondering if I could make this in a cake pan? I don’t have the layer cake pans & because I’d probably never use them, a single layer cake pan would work best for me. This has been a long time family favorite but only could get it at a bakery. Thank you so much!
Hi Sandra, Yes, this can be make in a sheet cake pan. This recipe makes 8 cups of batter. Using a 9×12 inch sheet cake pan you can use 7 cups of batter or enough to fill your pan 2/3’s full. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Keep an eye on it and check for doneness at 30 minutes. It will be done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. I hope you will enjoy the cake.
Hi Patsy, This recipe calls for 3 cups cake flour. This is a substitution you can use. Measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour. Remove 6 Tablespoons of the flour and replace with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK). Whisk to blend and proceed with the recipe. I hope you will enjoy the recipe.
Hi Courtney, I am not familiar with rose bruit, if it is a sparkling wine. If so, it may be fine to use.
I don’t like butter cream can you post a whipped cream topping for the cake ??
Sounds yummy! If I half the frosting recipe will it be enough for the cake? It just seems like a lot and I don’t want leftover frosting.
Thank you.
Hi Megan, There are 8 cups of frosting, Melissa did a lot of decorative piping on the cake so she needed the extra frosting. You should be fine to cut the recipe in half. I think you will have enough to fill, frost and have a simple piped border.
Hi Joann, Below are links to Sweetened Whipped Cream and Whipped Cream Cheese Frostings that you might like.
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/sweetened-whipped-cream/
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/whipped-cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/
I want to resize this recipe and want to know how to do it. also want to know how much it serves with original recipe?
If I want to do cupcakes instead of cake, is the baking time the same?
Hi Katie, Bake the cupcakes at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Hello what size pans should we use? Got the entire recipe ready to go but have no clue what size cake tins to buy, please help!
Hi Blair, we used three 8 inch cake pans.
I made the doctored box mix version last week, got rave reviews from family, and had to use up the extra champagne so made the scratch version today. The test cupcake proved that this recipe is just as delicious as the boxed version. I was concerned about the scratch cake coming out a bit heavy, but it didn’t! In both cases I skipped the buttercream icing and made a whipped cream/mascarpone/rose water frosting instead. This is definitely my new favorite cake recipe!
Hi Kelly, Thank you so much for taking time to review the scratch version of this recipe. I am thrilled you enjoyed it! The frosting you used sounds divine.
Am I supposed to let champagne sit until it goes flat without bubbles before I start baking?
Hi Jan, You do not need to wait. You can use the champagne right away. I hope you will enjoy the recipe.
Do I need a stand mixer for this recipe? Hoping to make for my mom’s birthday!
Hi Mahliah, You don’t need a stand mixer but I think you would need a hand held mixer for good results. You may need to mix just a bit longer with a hand mixer. I hope you will enjoy the recipe.
I would Love to use this recipe for our First Communion celebration. Do I need To worry about the alcohol content😬⁉️
Hi Linda, A study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Data lab confirmed that food baked or simmered in alcohol for 15 minutes still retains 40 percent of the alcohol. After an hour of cooking, 25 percent of the alcohol remains, and even after two and a half hours there’s still 5 percent of it. You could consider using a sparkling rosa or blush non-alcoholic drink for the recipe.
Just came out of the oven. I used 2 9-inch pans thinking that they would be nice size layers given the recipe calls for three 8 inch pans. There wasn’t much batter for the bigger pans. And the layers are about an inch tall. I’m wondering if the egg whites should have been beaten before using? Wish I would have doubled the batch.
I made this for my dairy/soy/corn free daughter so I substituted an organic shortening for the butter. Nice that it used champagne for the liquid so I didn’t have to use an alternative to milk which sometimes tastes funky.
Did the same thing with the buttercream. Used about one cup of shortening to about 4 cups of powdered sugar (cornstarch free!) When whipped for a long time it tastes pretty darn good and a very faint flavor of champagne.
Thought I would let people who are vegan or have allergies that the recipe worked great with substitutions.
Does the butter for the cake have to be softened before mixing with the sugar?
Hi Robyn, I’m sorry that was not noted on the recipe. Yes, the butter should be slightly softened. I hope you will enjoy the recipe
Hello,
I’m wondering if I can substitute the champagne for white wine?
Thank you so much, can’t wait to try this recipe!
Tina
Hi Tina-Maria, the recipe has been made using prosecco or various sparkling wines.
It was a hit!! The family loved it. Thanks so much for posting the recipe.
I’m so glad! Your cake looks great, thanks for your feedback!
Hey, just wondering what cook time and temp would beneeded if I made this recipe into cupcakes?
Hi Colleen, Standard size cupcakes are baked at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick, cupcakes will be done when the toothpick is clean or with just a few crumbs attached. I hope you will enjoy the recipe.
Can I use a white champagne for this recipe?
Yes, you can use white champagne! Hope you will enjoy the cake!
Hello, I’m excited to try this recipe. Do you happen to have any modifications for high altitude? Thank you!
Hi June, We don’t have experience with high altitude baking but below is a link to an article that I think you will find helpful.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking