Raspberry and Champagne Layer Cake

 

Yield: One 9-inch double layer cake or one 7-inch triple layer cake
Prep: 1 hour 30 minutes, total 3 hours

The filling in this cake gets its tangy raspberry flavor from seedless raspberry jam and Framboise liqueur. The champagne cake layers have a dense, moist crumb that’s loaded with fruity flavor.

Ingredients

Champagne cake layers

• 3 cups/443g all purpose flour
• 3 tsp./13g baking powder
• 1/2 tsp/ 14g salt
• 1 cup/226g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups/ 214g granulated sugar
• 6 egg whites
• 2 cups/15.4 oz champagne or sparkling white wine

Frosting/filling

• 6 egg whites
• 1 cup/118g sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 pound/4 US sticks unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons/8g vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup/76g red seedless raspberry jam, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons/ 70g Framboise (raspberry) liqueur, room temperature
• Wilton gel food color “Rose”

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans (or three 7-inch as I did); set aside.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
4. In a separate mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the unsalted butter and sugar.
5. Add egg whites one at a time and beat well after each addition.
6. Beat in flour mixture and champagne alternately in three additions, beginning and ending with flour.
7. Scrape down bowl edges with a rubber spatula and mix again briefly.
8. Divide batter between prepared pans.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out clean.
10. Let cakes cool in pans for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
11. Let cool completely before frosting.
12. For the frosting, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl.
13. Set over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar has dissolved.
14. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
15. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase to medium-high until stiff peaks are formed.
16. Continue beating at medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy and has cooled (the mixing bowl should feel cool to the touch).
17. Turn the mixer off and switch from the whisk attachment to the paddle. Turn the mixer on medium-low and add the butter, a few cubes at a time, beating until well incorporated before the next addition.
18. The egg whites will deflate and thin with the first few additions – don’t let this discourage you – keep going. It may also look curdled, but don’t fret. Beat on high speed when all the butter has been added. The mixture will thicken and become smooth after several minutes of beating.
19. Beat in the vanilla extract.
20. Transfer the frosting to a bowl, and return 1 1/2 cups of frosting to the bowl of the stand mixer.
21. Beat in the raspberry jam. Gradually beat in the raspberry liqueur a little at a time.
22. Beat in a little rose food color until a consistent color is achieved.
23. Fill cooled cakes with the raspberry Swiss buttercream and coat cake in a thin crumb coat of the vanilla frosting.
24. Chill until set.
25. Apply a final thick layer of vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream using a large off-set spatula.
26. Store cake in refrigerator.
27. Bring to room temperature before serving.
28. Fresh organic roses may be added to the top of the cake for decoration just before serving.