Raspberry Pink Champagne Cake
Fluffy, champagne-infused cake layered with raspberry pink champagne jam and frosted with raspberry pink champagne buttercream. This to-die-for combination is perfect for champagne lovers everywhere!
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Anyone else ready to try again in 2022? Or am I even allowed to say that? Is that the magic phrase that jinxed 2021?
Last year at this time, I was super, super sick with covid. This year, everyone else is. Plus, it’s been pouring rain here and seems to be snowing everywhere else. We’ve had to cancel quite a few things, including a trip to see my best friend, which I was really, really excited about.
It’s had me thinking about the way this year began and how it’s about to end—and everything that happened in between. I went to more funerals in 2021 than I’d ever been to in my entire life combined. The hardest one was my brother, who was only 38 and leaves behind my dear nephew and sister-in-law.
I also know there was so, so much good this year, and I’m choosing to focus on that and to have hope that good things will come again. Which is why I’m sending this year out with a celebratory champagne cake!
This is a variation of one of my favorite bakes of 2020: champagne cupcakes with champagne buttercream. It’s so fluffy and so good and so festive for New Years!
Why this recipe works
Reducing the champagne helps intensify the flavor without compromising the texture and rise of the cake. However, since the champagne provides most of the moisture, oil is added to help keep this cake moist without making it dense. Plus, the various leavening agents (baking powder, eggs, sugar, and even the champagne to an extent) help keep it fluffy—as long as it’s not over mixed.
More champagne flavor is infused into the buttercream and the raspberry jam, to provide that quintessential berries and champagne flavor. Plus, you can use any pink champagne you like, although a sweeter one is ideal to pair well with the sugar in the cake.
Key ingredients
Pink champagne. A sweeter one is ideal, although I’ve used a variety of types of champagnes.
Cake flour. This is a much lighter flour, that rises easily without weighing down the cake. Be sure to spoon then level it so you don’t pack it in and dry out the cake.
Baking powder. Be sure it’s fresh so the cake rises well!
Salt. Sea salt is ideal!
Butter. Use room temperature butter, and try to use European style so it is creamier.
Sugar/brown sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture, but you don’t want so much that the cake turns brown, so I use half and half.
Oil. I like grape seed these days, but avocado (not the fancy, extra virgin ones that are green!) is my other favorite. You can also use canola or vegetable, although those are supposedly not as healthy.
Eggs. Be sure they’re fresh and room temperature.
Vanilla extract. Helps round out the flavor.
Raspberries. Fresh for the jam and to decorate, if desired, and freeze dried for the frosting (optional).
Powdered sugar. Taste as you go so you don’t overdo it!
Gel food coloring. You can optionally use a tiny drop of red or dark pink food coloring to make the cake and frosting a bit more pink.
How to make raspberry pink champagne cake
1. Make the raspberry pink champagne jam. You’ll use 1/4 cup of the champagne, so try to do this the same day you reduce the champagne.
2. Reduce the remaining pink champagne. Use 1 cup tap water to make a mental line in your pan where you want the champagne to be when it’s reduced enough. Alternatively, you could stick a kebab stick into the pan, make a notch where the water hits it, then use this as you reduce the champagne so you have the right amount.
Make the cake
3. Sift and whisk the dry ingredients. Always sift!!!
4. Cream butter and sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add some pink gel food coloring at this point, if desired.
5. Alternate adding dry ingredients and reduced champagne. Mix on low until just barely combined after each addition.
6. Bake. Don’t open the oven too often, if you can help it, as that will affect how well this bakes.
Make the buttercream
7. Cream the butter and powdered sugar. Make sure it’s nice and fluffy and smooth.
8. Add vanilla and pink champagne. You can also add some gel food coloring, if desired.
9. Add powdered freeze dried raspberries. This is optional—it adds a nice raspberry flavor but didn’t have that soft pink champagne color I had been envisioning—so it’s up to you!
Frost the cake
10. Layer buttercream and jam. Be gentle as you go and make a ring of buttercream around the edge to keep the jam from spilling out and the cake from sliding.
11. Frost and chill just to set. It’s really key to chill it so the frosting sets but not long enough to dry out the cake.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
Make your own cake flour
Cake flour is something I weirdly always have way too much of when I don’t need it and none of when I actually do need it. We always seem to use it up to get rid of it then regret that later. #firstworldproblems It’s actually easy to make a good substitute for cake flour (it’s not exactly the same but works well). For every cup of flour, you replace 2 tablespoons with cornstarch. Most people say to measure a cup of flour, remove 2 tablespoons, then add 2 of cornstarch.
But I swear by the spoon-then-level method where you spoon your flour into your measuring cup then (holding it over the flour bag/container), use a knife or flat blade to just scrape right over and level it. If you doonk your measuring cup into the flour, you will pack it in and get too much, yielding a dry dessert. So I suggest placing 2 tablespoons (of gently scooped) cornstarch into a 1 cup measuring cup then spooning and leveling your flour on top of that. It’s more accurate that way! For this recipe, it’s easiest to just make a cup of cake flour then save the leftovers for another time. :)
Don’t over mix the cake batter
It’s important to mix this just until combined. If you over mix it, it will have a less than ideal texture and will dry out more quickly.
Don’t over-reduce the champagne
First of all, if you reduce it too much, you won’t have enough for the cake and buttercream. Second of all, if you reduce it for too long, it develops a syrupy texture and can even take on a burnt taste that isn’t quite so champagne-y. So be sure to have a way to gauge how much it should reduce to (I offer two options in the recipe) so you don’t burn it (or run out—equally as bad!). It’s best to under reduce it a bit and have a little extra than to reduce it too much.
Is there alcohol in this cake?
The short answer is: I don’t know, but probably. I’ve ready varying studies on this, and it’s fairly likely that almost all of the alcohol cooks out when reducing the champagne and the remaining bit will bake out in the oven. That leaves a trace amount in the buttercream, and an unknown amount in the jam (probably a trace amount, as well, depending on how long you cook it for). However, I am not a scientist and cannot verify that there is no alcohol in this cake, so I’d err on the safe side and not serve this to children or pregnant/breastfeeding women.
Can I use regular raspberry jam?
Yes! You can definitely use regular jam. If desired, you can stir a splash of champagne into the jam to boost the flavor, but it’s not necessary. I just wanted a noticeable champagne flavor, so I infused it into every part of this cake. However, you can leave it out of the frosting and jam, if desired.
Where do I get freeze dried raspberries?
I get mine at Trader Joe’s, but I’ve seen them at several grocery stores in my area. You can also get them from Amazon, if your local stores don’t carry them. Be sure to pulverize them well. My coffee grinder came with a spice attachment that I use for things like this, but a food processor or mini blender should work as well.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Sort of. You can make the jam and reduce the champagne up to a week in advance (just keep the champagne reduction in the fridge then bring to room temperature when ready to use). You could make the cake up to 24 hours before eating, but it’s best if you make it the day you’ll be eating it. I also don’t recommend refrigerating it for very long, as refrigeration dries cakes out. You can make (and frost) it a day ahead and simply leave it on the counter (in a cake container is ideal, but not necessary). If you truly do need to make it a few days in advance, either seal the cake layers in a few layers of plastic and freeze them, or frost the entire cake and freeze that (you’ll freeze it for an hour then wrap it in plastic to keep it fresh). If you choose the last option, let it thaw in the plastic wrap for 1-2 hours until some condensation builds up on the plastic, then remove it and let it thaw completely.
Do I need to use freeze dried raspberries?
Honestly, these were an afterthought. I had some I wanted to use up, which looked to be just enough to help stabilize this frosting. It’s important to use a fairly stable frosting when making a super moist cake and using a less stable filling, like jam. If you’d rather just a pink champagne buttercream, be sure to frost the cake carefully and consider making a ring of buttercream around each layer before adding the jam, to keep it from squeezing out the sides and causing the cake to slide around. You might need to add some food coloring to the frosting as well, to get a pink color. Try one tiny, tiny drop of red or dark pink to start with.
You can even leave the jam out and make this a pink champagne cake!
My cake making tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making this cake. Affiliate links provided.
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a fluffy cake)
All-rubber spatula (this makes scraping the bowl easier as the batter and frosting doesn’t get all over a wooden handle!)
6” aluminum cake pans (I’ve found nonstick doesn’t bake as evenly)
Offset spatula for frosting the cake
You might also like:
Champagne Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream (small batch)
Champagne Berry Coulis (pairs well with this Flourless Chocolate Cake!)
Raspberry Pink Champagne Cake
- prep time: 20-25 minutes
- cook time: 30-35 minutes
- bake time: 25-30 minutes
- total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
servings: 8-12
Ingredients:
for the raspberry pink champagne jam
- ¼ cup (52g) pink champagne, separated (this can be taken from the same bottle used for the cake and buttercream–just remove ¼ cup before reducing the rest)
- 2 cups (246g) fresh or frozen raspberries
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9g) cornstarch
for the pink champagne cake
- 1 bottle (750mL) of your favorite pink champagne or sparkling wine (I recommend one that’s a bit on the sweeter side)
- 1 ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (181g) cake flour (see note above for making your own)
- 1 ½ teaspoons (7g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28g) avocado or grape seed oil (can sub vegetable)
- 2 teaspoons (9g) vanilla extract
- 2 drops red or dark pink gel food coloring (optional)
for the raspberry pink champagne buttercream
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted European style butter, room temperature
- 4-6 cups (520-780g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (75g) reduced champagne (leftover from the cake)
- 1 tablespoon (13g) vanilla extract
- couple pinches sea salt
- ½ ounce freeze dried raspberries (optional–can just do a pink champagne buttercream)
Instructions:
make the raspberry pink champagne jam
- Leave 1 tablespoon champagne in a small bowl, then combine the other 3 tablespoons champagne, the raspberries, and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the raspberries have broken down and it’s nearly a thin jam consistency. This should take about 5-10 minutes. Pro tip: while the raspberries cook is a great time to reduce your champagne, since that requires minimal attention and stirring and since your bottle will already be open.
- Add the cornstarch to the reserved tablespoon of champagne and whisk well (a tiny whisk helps with this). Whisk this into the raspberries and cook, stirring frequently, another 5-10 minutes, until thickened. It will thicken slightly as it cools. Place it in the fridge to chill while you make the cake and buttercream.
reduce the champagne
- Next (or while the jam cooks), reduce your champagne. I’ve found the best way is to first measure out how much you need in the end (in this case, 1 cup). Pour that much plain tap water into your medium saucepan, and make a mental note of how high that level is. This is how low you want the champagne to reduce to. If it’s hard to gauge, you could also place a kebab stick or similar tool into the water and make a notch where the water stopped, sticking that into the champagne after about 10 minutes to check if it’s reduced enough.
- Next, pour the remainder of the pink champagne (the bottle you opened for the jam) into the small saucepan and bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to about 1 cup (don’t let it reduce more or you won’t have enough). It should take about 10-15 minutes. See note in post for more details on not burning your champagne. Set aside to cool completely. This can be done a day or two ahead of time if sealed tightly in a jar.
make the pink champagne cake
- Preheat your oven to 325. Lightly grease and flour two 6” cake pans and line with parchment (or silicone baking rounds).
- Use a large fine mesh sieve to sift then whisk your flour, baking powder, and salt together. Don’t skip the sifting--it’s necessary to get the right crumb. Set aside.
- Cream your butter and sugars in a medium mixing bowl with hand beaters (I found this was too small a recipe to use my stand mixer). Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl then add your eggs and beat on medium until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the oil and beat again on medium until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add your vanilla and food coloring (if using–it’ll be just faintly pink without it) and beat on medium until fully incorporated. Yes, it’s a lot of adding and beating, but it really makes a difference in the finished cake.
- Scrape down the bowl then add half of the flour mixture. Beat on lowest speed just until combined. Add ⅔ cup of the room temperature champagne reduction. Beat on lowest setting until just combined. Finally, add the rest of the flour and beat on lowest setting until just combined. Gently scrape the edge and bottom of the bowl. Don’t stir, just scraping it will fold any unmixed batter in enough.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Check around 20 minutes in case your oven bakes fast, but avoid opening the oven too frequently or they won’t bake evenly. Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
make the buttercream
- Beat the room temperature butter on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and beat on low then slowly increase to high (to avoid a sugar cloud). Beat on high for about 30 seconds, until completely smooth. Continue this process until you’ve added 4 cups powdered sugar.
- Scrape down the bowl then add about half of the remaining ⅓ cup champagne reduction and blend until smooth. Then add the vanilla and salt and beat again until smooth. You may need to beat on high to incorporate it smoothly.
- Using a clean coffee grinder or small food processor, pulverize the freeze dried raspberries until powdery. Add about half of the powder into the buttercream and beat until smooth. Note: this is optional, and you can leave out the raspberries to get a lighter color and more subtle raspberry flavor in the overall cake.
- Taste the buttercream, adding more champagne, powdered sugar, and/or raspberry powder as needed until you’re happy with the flavor.
- Scrape down the bowl then beat on high for 1-2 minutes, just to fluff up the frosting. This is optional but creates a great texture. Stir it well with a spatula to remove any air bubbles.
frost and decorate
- If desired, you can cut each cooled cake layer in half to get more filling (my fav!). Fill the cake by spreading a thin layer of buttercream then a thin layer of raspberry pink champagne jam on each layer of cake. Repeat until all layers are stacked (place the top layer cut side down so you have an easy surface for frosting). Frost the entire cake in a thin crumb coat, chill for 10 minutes, then frost to desired thickness.
Enjoy!
The cake should be eaten the same day it’s made, but the buttercream and jam can be made ahead and stored in the fridge in airtight containers (the buttercream will need to sit on the counter 2-3 hours to warm up). Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container and eaten within 2-3 days (this cake dries out faster than other cakes).
