Check out this sponge cake layered with Champagne syrup, strawberry preserves and white chocolate buttercream. It’s delicious, classy, and a perfect celebration sweet.
I made this cake twice. The first round was a complete disaster. I added champagne to the cake batter and ended up with a runny, lumpy mixture and the cake didn’t bake well. 
So this is take two with a champagne syrup, which I am sharing with you. To begin with, we bake a soft and fluffy vanilla sponge cake. The cake batter is enough for a 3 layer , 6 inch cake and also 6 cupcakes. Making the cupcakes is optional.
Once the layers are baked and cooled, we will brush them with champagne syrup. Brush the cupcakes with champagne syrup as well. The champagne syrup adds a lovely subtle champagne flavour as well as making the cake super moist. I would recommend using a brittle brush because the brush makes it easier to control the amount of syrup you add to the cake. Brush each sponge with a thin coat of syrup. Adding too much syrup will make your sponge soggy.
Fill the syrup soaked layers with strawberry conserve and white chocolate buttercream. I wanted a sort of white buttercream so I tinted my buttercream white with a few drops of White-White Icing Colour. This step is optional. Wrap the cake with plastic film and chill the cake in the fridge for 1-2 hours to allow the layers to set.
Remove the champagne cake from the fridge and frost with buttercream. I decorated the cake with gold confetti. Start at the bottom of the cake and press the gold confetti around the side of the cake and move around. It can get quite messy. Place the cake on a tray to catch any sprinkles that fall. You will re-use them.
Edible gold leaf was added to the side of the champagne cake :-). The cake deserved some 24 carat magic.
Click here for the Champagne Syrup recipe.
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White Chocolate Champagne Cake
- Yield: One 3-layer 6-inch cake plus 6 cupcakes 1x
Description
Check out this sponge cake layered with Champagne syrup, strawberry preserves and white chocolate buttercream. It’s delicious, classy, and a perfect celebration sweet.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 250 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 300 g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 6 egg whites (180 g)
- 3 cups (360 g) plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 250 ml (1 cup) milk
- Strawberry conserve, for filling
Champagne Syrup
- 1 cup sparkling wine (champagne or prosecco)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
White Chocolate Buttercream
- 250 g (1 cup) butter
- 125 g (1/2 cup) vegetable shortening
- 700 g (7 cups) icing sugar
- 200 g white chocolate, chopped
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) whipping cream
- Few drops white food colouring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease the bottom and sides of 3 x 6-inch round cake tins and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Line a cupcake pan with 6 paper cases.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
- Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
- Add the egg whites a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
- Fill the cupcake cases two-thirds full. Divide the remaining batter evenly between the cake tins.
- Bake the cupcakes for 15–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Bake the cakes for 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the tins on wire racks for 10 minutes, then invert, discard the parchment, and cool completely. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1–3 hours.
Champagne Syrup
- Stir the sparkling wine and sugar together in a saucepan over low heat until the sugar has fully dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using.
White Chocolate Buttercream
- Place the white chocolate and whipping cream in a heatproof bowl. Melt in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring after each, until completely melted. Leave to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and shortening until light and creamy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the icing sugar a cup at a time, beating well. As the frosting thickens, add the melted chocolate. Beat in the vanilla and white food colouring if using, until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Assembling the Cake
- Place the first cake layer on an 8-inch cake board, flat side down. Brush with champagne syrup using a pastry brush (repeat with remaining layers). Fit a ½-inch round nozzle into a piping bag.
- Pipe a dam of buttercream around the edge of the layer. Fill the dam with buttercream and spread with an offset spatula. Spoon 3 tablespoons of strawberry conserve over the buttercream and smooth it out.
- Repeat with the remaining layers until all three are stacked.
- Wrap the cake in cling film and chill for 1–3 hours.
- Remove from the fridge. Crumb-coat the cake with a thin layer of buttercream on the sides and top. Use a scraper against the side of the cake while turning on a turntable to smooth. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Once firm, cover evenly with the remaining buttercream and smooth the edges with a scraper. Chill for 1 hour.
- Place the cake on a baking tray on a turntable. Starting at the bottom, press gold confetti sprinkles into the side of the cake, spinning the turntable as you work. Reuse any that fall.
- Pipe buttercream swirls around the top edge of the cake and on the cupcakes. Serve.
Notes
Brush each sponge with only a thin coat of champagne syrup — too much will make the layers soggy. Chill the cake after crumb-coating before applying the final layer of buttercream so it goes on cleanly.
- Category: Baking, Cake, Dessert
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my cake batter turn out runny when I added champagne directly to it?
Adding champagne directly to the cake batter can make it too liquidy, resulting in a lumpy mixture that doesn’t bake properly. Instead, use champagne in a syrup to brush on the baked layers for moisture and flavor.
How do I prevent my sponge cake from becoming soggy when brushing with champagne syrup?
To prevent sogginess, brush each sponge layer with a thin coat of champagne syrup using a brittle brush, and avoid adding too much syrup at once.
What can I use to tint my white chocolate buttercream to achieve a pure white color?
You can use a few drops of White-White Icing Colour to tint your white chocolate buttercream for a more vibrant white appearance.
