• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Live to Sweet
  • Contact
  • About
    • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Work with Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Strawberry Champagne Cake

    June 5, 2018 by Amee Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    It's my anniversary today! I was thinking about weddings and marriage and anniversary celebrations, and my thoughts automatically went to champagne. From there, my champagne thoughts strayed to strawberries...*no*...chocolate-covered strawberries! Thus, this Strawberry Champagne Cake was created.

    Two things:

    1) This is champagne cake, topped with fresh strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream, dark chocolate ganache, and chocolate-dipped strawberries. It's gorgeous in both presentation and flavor, and well represents romance and the celebration of an anniversary. But...

    2) I wouldn't say this suits Adam and I at all. 😉

    Adam isn't really a sweets guy. It took me years accept this (and I'm still not sure I've accepted it fully). I will tell you that he's *way* more of a sweets guy now than when we met (almost TWENTY years ago). If I had to pick foods for a celebration for us, it would be Mexican food (yay queso!) with margaritas or charcuterie and pasta with a big pitcher of sangria. Those are us. But those aren't sweets, and that's what this blog is for. 😀

    Back to this cake: The addition of whipped egg whites and champagne to the batter make this cake light and delicately flavored. To ensure I have the same amount of batter in each pan, I use my kitchen scale (link [here]) and weigh the pans. I also use cake strips (like these [here]) to help ensure the cake layers bake up with a flatter top, so I cut less cake away when you level the cakes.

    The strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream is amazing. Not too sweet, buttery, and packed with straight-from-the-farmer's-market strawberry flavor. Not being able to leave well enough alone, I also added some strawberry extract for an added punch of strawberry flavor. I don't think most people have strawberry extract in their kitchen, but of course I do (discussion of my packed pantry to come another day). If you can't find strawberry extract at the grocery store, you can find it [here]. If you don't have strawberry extract and aren't inclined to add it to your pantry, you can substitute vanilla extract.

    To top it all off: bittersweet chocolate ganache and chocolate-covered strawberries. Dark chocolate is my jam, but you can use whatever type of chocolate you prefer.

    So...this cake doesn't exactly fit for my own anniversary, since it's not something my husband is likely to eat much of. Or at all. But, this means I get the bulk of this cake to myself, and that is what really makes for a happy marriage, right? 😉

    Other posts you may like:

    Chocolate Champagne Cake

    Strawberry Shortcake Layer Cake

    Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles

    Mimosa Cupcakes

    Sangria Cake

    Champagne cake adapted from Gimme Some Oven (link here). Strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream adapted from The Cookie Writer (link here).

    Champagne and Chocolate Strawberries Cake

    Strawberry Champagne Cake

    Amee
    Champagne Cake topped with strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream, dark chocolate ganache, and chocolate-covered strawberries!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 50 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Cakes
    Servings 12 slices
    Prevent your screen from going dark while you bake!

    Ingredients
      

    Champagne Cake:

    • 2 ¾ cups flour
    • 3 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened (11 Tbsp)
    • 1 ½ cups sugar
    • ¾ cup champagne (sparkling wine)
    • 6 egg whites

    Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

    • 5 egg whites
    • 1 ¼ cups sugar
    • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)
    • ½ teaspoon strawberry extract (see note)
    • 1 cup strained strawberry puree (see note; from about 1 lb strawberries)

    Dark Chocolate Ganache:

    • 3 oz bittersweet chocolate (or chocolate of your choice)
    • 3 oz heavy (whipping) cream (about ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp)

    Chocolate-Covered Strawberries:

    • 8 strawberries
    • 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (or chocolate of your choice)
    • 2 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
    • 1 ounce white chocolate

    Instructions
     

    For Cake:

    • Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two 8" cake pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
    • In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt). Set aside.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
    • Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing only until just combined. Pour in champagne, mixing to combine, then the remaining dry ingredients. Mix only until incorporated.
    • In another mixer bowl, whip egg whites with the whisk attachment until they reach stiff peaks.
    • Add whipped egg whites to batter in three additions, carefully folding in each addition using care not to deflate the egg whites. Continue folding until egg whites are fully incorporated and no white streaks remain.
    • Divide batter evenly between the two cake pans (see note). Affix cake strips to the outsides of the pans, if desired (see note). Bake cakes 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    • Allow cakes to cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

    For Buttercream:

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine egg whites and sugar. Set over a small saucepan of simmering water, taking care that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl.
    • Stirring occasionally, warm egg white mixture to 160F. Once the mixture reaches temperature, transfer the bowl to the mixer.
    • Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture on high speed until it reaches stiff peaks. The mixture will be white and glossy, and the bowl will be nearly cool to the touch (at least 10 minutes).
    • Add butter, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, allowing each addition to fully incorporate before adding the next.
    • Once all butter is incorporated, add strawberry extract (see note) and strawberry puree. Mix until combined.
    • Frost champagne cakes with buttercream. If desired, leave enough buttercream leftover to pipe a border around the bottom and pipe on top to anchor chocolate-covered strawberries.

    For Ganache:

    • Combine chocolate and cream in a medium heatproof bowl. Microwave on 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until ganache is smooth. 
    • While still warm and pourable, pour over the top of the cake, spreading the ganache with an offset spatula and allowing the ganache to drip down the sides, if desired.

    For Chocolate-Covered Strawberries:

    • Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Set aside.
    • Melt bittersweet chocolate (or chocolate of your choice) with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil on 15-second intervals in the microwave, stirring after each interval, until mixture is smooth. Allow mixture to cool slightly.
    • Dip strawberries in chocolate mixture and lay on prepared baking sheet. You can leave them out to set up, or put them in the refrigerator if you'd like them to set up faster.
    • Once the chocolate is set, melt white chocolate with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil on 15-second intervals in the microwave, stirring after each interval, until mixture is smooth. Allow mixture to cool slightly.
    • Pour white chocolate mixture into a zip-top bag and cut the corner. Drizzle the strawberries with the white chocolate. Allow white chocolate to set.
    • Pipe small swirls of buttercream to anchor the strawberries, if desired, and place the chocolate-covered strawberries on top of the cake.
      Enjoy!

    Notes

    Note on strawberry extract: I don't think most people have strawberry extract in their kitchen, but I do. I like the added punch of strawberry flavor that it gives baked goods, and the brand I buy doesn't have any artificial flavors (you can find it [here]). If you don't have strawberry extract, you can substitute vanilla extract.
    Note on using kitchen scale: To ensure I have the same amount of batter in each pan, I use my kitchen scale (link [here]) and weigh the pans. Each of my pans contained about 1lb 14oz of batter (not including the weight of the pans).
    Note on cake strips: These wet strips affix to the outside of your pans, and help ensure your cake layers bake up with a flatter top, so you cut less cake away when you level the cakes. If you're interested in getting yourself some, you can find them [here]. 
    Note on dark pans and bake time: If you have dark pans, reduce oven heat to 325F. Darker pans bake faster, and the lower temperature will help ensure you don't end up with dry cake.
    Note on strawberry puree: To make strawberry puree, quarter strawberries and place in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.

    Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.

    Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear all about it! Leave a review below, then snap a pic and tag me on Instagram!
    This post contains affiliate links.

    More Cake and Cupcake Recipes from Scratch

    • Slice of Chocolate Orange Cake with chocolate and dried oranges nearby.
      Chocolate Orange Cake
    • Slice of Chocolate Ganache Cake with a blackberry on top.
      Chocolate Ganache Cake
    • Peach Cobbler Pound Cake on a white serving plate with fresh peach slices on top.
      Peach Cobbler Pound Cake with Bourbon Glaze
    • Strawberry Filled Cupcakes with fresh strawberries on top.
      Strawberry Filled Cupcakes

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Photo of Amee, founder of Live to Sweet.

    Hi, I'm Amee! Here at Live to Sweet you'll find unique and flavorful dessert recipes. Always delicious, and always from scratch!

    Click for More About Me -->

    New & Seasonal Recipes

    • Lemon Curd Cookies on a silver cooling rack with a jar of lemon curd in the background.
      Lemon Curd Cookies
    • Slice of Lavender Lemon Cake on a white plate with lavender flowers alongside.
      Lavender Lemon Cake
    • Slice of Blueberry Angel Food Cake with whipped cream and blueberries on a plate with a fork alongside.
      Blueberry Angel Food Cake
    • honey sugar cookies with easter peep pattern on a white plate.
      Honey Cookies
    • Strawberry Filled Cupcakes with fresh strawberries on top.
      Strawberry Filled Cupcakes
    • Closeup of Raspberry and White Chocolate Loaf Cake on a tray.
      Raspberry White Chocolate Loaf Cake

    Follow Along with Me!

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok

    Trending Recipes

    • Lemon Curd Cookies on a silver cooling rack with a jar of lemon curd in the background.
      Lemon Curd Cookies
    • Slice of Chocolate Ganache Cake with a blackberry on top.
      Chocolate Ganache Cake
    • Slice of Chocolate Orange Cake with chocolate and dried oranges nearby.
      Chocolate Orange Cake
    • Collage of four unique desserts.
      40+ Unique Desserts

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Live to Sweet © 2018-2023. All Rights Reserved.