• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8×2 inch round pans.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, salt, and baking powder for 30 seconds. Set aside
• In another bowl, add the champagne, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.  Set aside..
• In the bowl of your mixer, add the butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow of the yolk has blended.
• If you'd like your cake layers to have a pink tint (to represent the pink champagne), add a small amount of the pink coloring gel at any time during the mixing process below.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and champagne mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid). After the last addition, mix just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Baking times may vary. Let cool 10 minutes and turn out.

For the Champagne Simple Syrup

• This will add an additional boost of champagne flavor to our cake layers.
• 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. 
• When it's time to assemble the cake, you will brush this over your cake layers before adding the filling.

Champagne Whipped Cream

• Chill the mixing bowl and beaters/ whisk attachment in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Pour the whipping cream, powdered sugar, champagne, and vanilla into the chilled mixing bowl, begin beating on low speed gradually increasing to medium high speed.  
• Mix to stiff peaks. The cream begins to thicken after approx. 1 ½ minutes but times may vary. The whipped cream should hold a peak when the mixer is lifted.

Champagne Buttercream Frosting

• 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.
• We did not tint our buttercream pink but that is an optional step if you are using pink champagne (or referring to the frosting as pink champagne).

Assembling the Cake

• Once completely cooled, place the first cake layer on the cake base or pedestal.
• Lightly brush the top of the cake layer with champagne simple syrup.
• Pipe a ring of buttercream around the top edge of the cake layer (about ¼ inch-½ inch from edge). I do my dams using a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped away.
• Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam within the piped dam. (Scoop some jam into a small bowl and stir to soften for easier spreading.) - -We used about ¼ cup-⅓ cup for the whole cake.
• Next, spread a layer of champagne whipped cream on top of the jam.
• Top with the second cake layer. Repeat the steps of buttercream dam, champagne syrup, jam, and whipped cream.
• Top with the third cake layer. Brush with champagne syrup. Fill in any remaining gaps between the cake layers using the buttercream that you piped the dam with. Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake. At this point, I like to chill the cake in the freezer for 15-20 minutes (or longer in the refrigerator) to firm everything up before applying the final coat of frosting.
• Frost the cake however you like. I applied the second coat of frosting, smoothed with a bench scraper and spatula, and then added a bit of texture all over with a small offset spatula.
• I added 6 piped swirls to the top of the cake, spaced out around the top edge, and topped each with a fresh raspberry.