I know what you’re thinking. Champagne cake in the springtime? Yes, I know, it’s a little radical. And no, I do not believe it is a recipe strictly owned by the New Year’s holiday. I think the fluffiness of the cake paired with the delightfully light flavor of the champagne creates a flavor combination that is perfect for spring. Not to mention, easter is just around the corner. Easter to me is such a brunchy type of holiday. And you know what is a classic brunch staple? Mimosas. And you know what is in a mimosa? Champagne. So yeah, I am claiming this champagne cake as an easter recipe and you will absolutely see it sitting proudly on my Sunday brunch table.
What makes the champagne cake so fluffy?
Without a doubt, the thing that makes this champagne cake so light and fluffy, almost on par with the fluffiness of an angel food cake, is the egg whites. Luckily this recipe does not have a complex method of egg white incorporation. You simply add them one at a time while mixing on medium high speed until all of the egg whites are incorporated and the batter is delightfully airy. You might ask next, “do I need to actually use all SIX egg whites?” The answer there is also YES. There is no other way to achieve such a glorious texture of cake without adding the six egg whites. Trust me, I tried it with 4, 5, and 8 egg whites, and honestly there was no better cake than the one which used six.
What should I do with all of the leftover egg yolks?
If there is one thing I dislike more than most things in this world, it is food waste. When I was growing up, food waste was like a cardinal sin in our household. And those feelings have stuck with me. So, my fridge is always full of scraps of this or that and leftovers. Egg yolks are too wonderful to meet the doom of the trash can, so I personally turn them into homemade ice cream. You could also save them for a yellow cake, or for use in lemon curd!
The Best Champagne Cake
Ingredients
For the Champagne Cake:
- 2½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1¼ cup Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ cup Light Brown Sugar
- 6 Egg Whites
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Champagne
For the Champagne Buttercream:
- 2 cups Unsalted Butter
- 6 cups Powdered Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Champagne
Instructions
For the Champagne Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare three 6″ cake pans by greasing and lining with parchment paper. Set aside
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until homogeneous. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), beat the butter and oil together until smooth. Add the sugars and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, this will take about 3 minutes.
- Next, add the egg whites, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated into the batter before adding the next. After the egg whites are added, mix in the vanilla.
- Next, adding 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Then add 1/2 of the champagne and mix to combine. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing until combined. Add the last half of the champagne and mix. Finally, add the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix until everything is just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, folding the batter a bit, making sure everything is mixed evenly.
- Distribute batter evenly amongst the pans and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before taking the cakes out of the pans and then allowing the cakes to cool completely.
For the Champagne Buttercream:
- Add the butter, powdered sugar, and salt to a bowl. Beat on low speed to combine. Once the powdered sugar is combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and champagne and beat until fully incorporated.
- If the buttercream is a bit too thin, add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time until you reach the consistency you like. If the buttercream is too thick, add 1 tablespoon more of champagne at a time until you reach the consistency you like. Wait until the cakes are completely cooled before leveling and frosting. Enjoy!
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