Champagne and cake are two of the best celebratory treats for special occasions. So if you're going to celebrate, why not combine the two into this simple and delicious Champagne Cake! The batter takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, and the frosting can be quickly whipped up while the cake is cooling. Whether you're toasting to a major accomplishment or even the smallest milestone, this simple cake is so easy and delicious that you'll want to find something to celebrate every day!
New Year's Eve, birthdays, Valentine's Day, bridal showers or wedding anniversaries, it's always a perfect time to toast with champagne cake! If you love a light and moist cake with wine, you'll also love Raspberry Rosè Sponge Cake.
Why this Recipe Works
Champagne adds such a light and elegant flavor to the fluffy cake and to the easy buttercream frosting. The champagne flavor is noticeable without being overpowering resulting in a sweet champagne treat. Plus, a simple champagne buttercream serves as both the filling between the two layers and the frosting on the outside of the cake.
Ingredients and Notes
Vegetable Oil - Using oil instead of butter as the fat in this booze-infused cake recipe keeps the champagne cake soft and moist.
Champagne - Champagne (or pink champagne in the case of the photo above!) not only contributes to the flavor, but the carbonation also contributes to the light and fluffy texture of the cake. Between the batter and the buttercream frosting, you'll need more than two mini champagne bottles (187 mL) so I recommend using a full size bottle (750 mL) and you'll have enough leftover to enjoy a couple glasses of bubbly with your cake!
Substitutions
Vegetable Oil - Canola oil or any neutral oil can be used in this simple and elegant cake recipe. Oils with flavor such as olive oil or coconut oil will impact the flavor of the champagne cake.
Champagne - I like to use a pink champagne because that's what I enjoy drinking, but Prosecco, brut, white champagne or any sparkling wine will work great in this two-layer cake.
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Combine champagne, vegetable oil, and eggs.
Step 2: Add flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder and mix until just combined.
Step 3: Pour into two greased and lined 9" cake pans and bake at 350°F for 27-30 minutes. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4: While the cakes are cooling, beat the butter until soft. Add the remaining frosting ingredients and beat until well combined and the consistency is soft but sturdy.
Step 5: When the cakes are cooled, spread a layer of frosting on top of one of the cakes, then place the other cake on top of the layer of frosting.
Step 6: Frost the outside of the cakes, if desired, slice, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Some of the alcohol will bake out of the champagne cake batter, but not all of it. There is also some champagne in the frosting that is not baked. While this champagne cake won't get you drunk, it will have some alcohol content.
This light and fluffy cake tastes like champagne! The cake batter and frosting makes it a sweet treat, but the champagne (or pink champagne!) gives the cake and frosting its flavor. It's a perfect balance of flavors!
The technical difference is where they come from - Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France, whereas Prosecco is Italian. Taste-wise, Champagne tends to be a bit drier than Prosecco, but both will be delicious in this simple cake recipe!
Tips & Tricks
Tip #1: Even if you use pink champagne, the color is not strong enough to give you a pink cake. If you prefer a pink cake and/or pink buttercream frosting to give those pink champagne vibes, add a few drops of pink or red food coloring. A little bit of red food coloring when mixed with the white cake batter or white frosting will look pink.
Tip #2: When assembling the cake layers, ensure the frosting is stiff. If it's too soft, the top layer may slide.
Tip #3: If cake decorating isn't your strong suit, consider keeping this as a naked cake. That means there is frosting between the layers and on top of the cake, but not on the sides. Add an extra touch of elegance by topping with fresh fruit or flowers.
Storage Tips
- Champagne cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
- It can also be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.
Related Recipes
Did you try this recipe? Leave a review below, and tag @flourdeliz on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Champagne Cake
Equipment
- 2 9" round cake pan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Champagne Cake
- 1 ¼ cup champagne
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs beaten
- 2 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Champagne Frosting
- 1 stick butter
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup champagne
Instructions
Champagne Cake
- Grease two cake pans, line with a circle of parchment paper, and grease the parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Combine the champagne, vegetable oil, and eggs in a mixing bowl.
- Add flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder, and mix until combined.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake for 27-30 minutes.
- Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then flip out onto wire racks and cool completely.
Champagne Frosting
- Beat butter until soft.
- Add the remaining frosting ingredients and beat until smooth.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a little bit more champagne. If it's too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Assembly
- Once the cakes have cooled, spread icing on top of one of the cake layers, then put the other cake layer on top of the frosting layer.
- If desired, frost the outside of the two-layer cake.
- Slice and enjoy!
pam says
What would be cooking time for 4" cakes? Want to make for a bachelorette party.
Liz Pollio says
Hi Pam, this would depend on how thick you're making the layers. So the two 9" baking pans to keep the same thickness would make about ten 4" layers. I have not tested this in a smaller cake pan so would suggest starting to check them around 15-20 minutes just to be safe, but they will likely need more time to bake. However if you're making fewer, thicker layers, you would need to increase the bake time, and depending on the thickness, possibly quite significantly. If they're too thick, they may not bake at all. When experimenting with bake time I always suggest erring on the side of checking early and often!