Sunday, January 22, 2012

Celebrate with Champagne Cake!

A very warm welcome today to Paige Shelton, whose latest book, IF FRIED CHICKEN COULD FLY, was just released!  That's more than enough reason to celebrate with a cake this beautiful!


Thank you to the wonderful authors of Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen for the guest post opportunity. It’s great to be here!

When I started the first book of my new series, there were a couple recipes I just knew I had to include. The title of the book is If Fried Chicken Could Fly, so, of course, I included a fried chicken recipe. But there was another recipe, one that I’d been trying to duplicate for years that I really, really wanted to add.

A couple blocks from my high-school-and-college years’ home in Des Moines, Iowa, was a place called Barbara’s Bakery. It was only a short time after we moved to Des Moines that I found Barbara’s and their amazing “Champagne Cake.” I fell in cake-love at first bite. I left Des Moines after college, and I have craved that cake ever since. As I finished If Fried Chicken Could Fly I put some extra effort into trying to duplicate Barbara’s recipe, but it was to no avail. I did come up with a yummy champagne cookie that I included in the book, but, sadly, the cake just didn’t come together.



However, even after the book was turned in, I wasn’t able to give up the quest.

 
And surprising even myself, I think I finally got it! Okay, well, not “it” exactly. Once I quit trying to duplicate Barbara’s amazing recipe and just focused on creating something that tasted so delicious that it stood on its own, a recipe came together. And the craziest part of it all was that it turned out to be incredibly simple. I mean, really simple. Box cake mix simple, in fact. I’m thrilled to share it today on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen.

Here’s Paige’s (Not-Barbara’s)
Shockingly Simple Champagne Cake recipe:

 
Ingredients:
CAKE:
1 package white cake mix

(You need a “three egg” mix. I just use Betty’s, and it has pudding in the mix.)








1 (3 1/2 oz.) package white chocolate pudding mix
(Adding this ingredient is what I think magnifies all the delicious flavors. It’s subtle, but I can tell it’s there.)


1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream 

3 eggs

1 cup chilled champagne 

(I don’t even like the taste of champagne, but I LOVE what it does to a cake. And, I like my champagne-cake champagne like I like my bubblegum: cheap, pink and sweet.)
Red food coloring



FROSTING:
1 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons champagne
Silver dragees (edible/decorative balls – some people like silver edible glitter, but I’m team-dragee all the way.) 

Red food coloring



That’s it! Those are the only ingredients you need. 




 

Cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour the bottom and sides of two 9 inch pans.



Except for the food coloring, put all the cake ingredients into a bowl. Stir to combine, beat until blended, and then beat for 4 minutes at low speed. While you’re beating at low speed, add some drops of red food coloring until you achieve a nice pink. I use gel food coloring and it takes me a good four drops to get to pink. 





Bake in the two greased and floured pans at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes and then turn out to cool on rack.

After cake is completely cooled, place all frosting ingredients except for the food coloring into a bowl. Beat to combine and then start adding drops of food coloring until you again have a nice pink – for me this is also about 4 good-sized drops. Beat until stiff peaks form. 



Spread the frosting in between the layers:





Then frost the entire cake, and sprinkle the dragees on top:






So simple! And pretty! 







The recipe also makes about 30 cupcakes. I cut the frosting in half for cupcakes which leaves me scraping the bowl for the last few, but I find it’s wise not to have extra frosting hanging around. I can’t resist the stuff.


If you don’t want to include champagne in the frosting, you can substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla per every three tablespoons of champagne.

Since the frosting is of the whipped cream variety, I keep the final cakes or cupcakes chilled. 



This is a great cake for pretty much any occasion. In fact, I’ll probably make one in a heart shape for Valentine’s Day. I might even try a green shamrock in March. 



Thanks, everyone, for letting me stop by today. I’m sending you all happy cooking, baking, eating and reading wishes!   



And, of course - Cheers!


Paige







20 comments:

  1. That looks delicious! Going to file this away for Hubby's birthday in April. I remember when I was little my mother had a bottle of silver dragees in the cabinet, and I found them fascinating--especially that they were edible!

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  2. What a pretty cake and cupcakes. Will place this in my book.

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  3. Echoing Peg and Shawn (BusyMom) - gorgeous cake and cupcakes. Perfect for a bubbly birthday dessert. Thank you for sharing it today and big congrats on the launch of your new series with If Fried Chickens Could Fly. Great title - wish they really could fly, right onto my dinner table, no work, lol)!

    ~ Cleo

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  4. Looks lovely. Sounds divine. And those little pearl balls make it so lovely and dressy. Are they pricey?

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  5. Thank you, everyone!

    Yes, no work fried chicken would be great.
    :-)

    Juju - the 4 oz. container of dragees cost $5.99. 4 ounces is enough to last me a long, long time.

    Paige

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  6. I love this ... so pretty! I'm absolutely making this for work this week. Just because it's too pretty to wait!

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  7. Thanks so much for joining us today, Paige. Like Peg, I remember seeing the dragees when I was little and being so impressed. They're like putting a tiara on a cake. I still love them! What a pretty birthday cake for a little princess.

    ~ Krista

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  8. This is so beautiful and sounds so yummy that I'd love a nice piece of this cake with a glass of champagne right now.

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  9. What a gorgeous cake Paige! and so glad to have you visiting. And best of luck and many sales on the new book!

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  10. What a GREAT sounding cake. So easy and yet seems so delicious!!!!

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  11. I'm thrilled it's sounding yummy!

    And, same to you, Lucy. What a great new series you have!

    Paige

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  12. I think I just drooled all over my keyboard! Paige, I'd trade you a real bottle of champagne for a piece of that cake! Thanks for sharing such a divine recipe and best of luck with the new release!

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  13. I'd take you up on that, Ellery!

    Thank you - you too!

    I'm excited for so many of "The Kitchen's" authors' upcoming books. You all are a prolific bunch.

    Paige

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  14. My favorite childhood cake memory is of the petit fours from Barbaras Bakeshop. Any suggestions for replication? Thanks for this recipe.

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    1. Hi, Anonymous - LOVED Barbara's Petit Fours too. In fact, I was in Des Moines last month (haven't really be back for years), and I visited The Bake Shop on University. It's in the Windsor Heights area. They have Barbara's recipes and I indulged some goodies. Yum!

      Regarding the Petit Fours - the best I can figure is that they are just a simple white cake with a powdered sugar frosting. However, the secret is in getting the frosting just right - flavor and consistency. I don't have it yet, but I think it's just a matter of some more experimentation. I'll keep working on it.

      Thanks for commenting. We must have grown up in the same general area. It sure has changed.

      Best -
      Paige

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  15. I have one every year for my birthday any idea what the filling was? I remember it was white, and "densely fluffy"

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  16. By and large champagne sustenance ought to be sweet, for example, chocolates and other fun pastries. wine clubs

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  17. Adding this comment in case others are still searching for the recipe. I also grew up in Des Moines and got the champagne cake every year for my birthday (and every few years I get one from The Bake Shoppe in Windsor Heights when I'm back in DSM). The filling is custard (not frosting) and based on an article from the Des Moines Register a few years back no champagne is used in the cake but instead both rum and sherry are used (unfortunately I don't know how much).

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  18. I think about it is most required for making more on this get engaged cake machine

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