Pink Champagne, White Chocolate and Rose Cake

• Refrigerated

  • 6 Egg whites, large
  • 150 g Egg whites

• Baking & Spices

  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 380 g Cake flour
  • 650 g Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Sea salt
  • 3 tsp Vanilla bean extract
  • 225 g White chocolate

• Dairy

  • 670 g Butter, unsalted

• Liquids

  • 2 1/4 tsp Rose water

• Other

  • 100 millilitres (3.4 ounces champagne, at room temperature
  • Pale pink pesticide free flowers, peonies, roses or babies breath etc, optional
  • pink food colouring or gel, optional

Found on butterandbrioche.com

Ingredients

• 220 grams (7.76 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 400 grams (14.1 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean extract
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• 380 grams (13.4 ounces) cake flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 280 millilitres (9.88 ounces) whole milk, at room temperature
• 60 millilitres (2 ounces) champagne
• 60 millilitres (2 ounces) granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon rose water
• 150 grams (5.3 ounces) egg whites
• 250 grams (8.81 ounces) granulated sugar
• 450 grams (15.87 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
• 1 teaspoon rose water
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 100 millilitres (3.4 ounces) champagne, at room temperature
• 100 grams (3.4 ounces) white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• pink food colouring or gel, optional
• 125 grams (4.3 ounces) white chocolate, finely chopped
• Pale pink pesticide free flowers, peonies, roses or babies breath etc, optional

Directions

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease and line 3 x 18 cm (7 inch) cake pans with parchment paper. Set them aside.
• Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment. Mix, on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the vanilla bean extract and rose water and beat until combined.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl until the ingredients are evenly combined. Set the bowl aside.
• Set the mixer speed to medium-low. Add in the egg whites, a little bit at a time, until they are evenly incorporated and the batter is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Pour in a third of the milk into the beating mixture. Beat until just combined then add in a third of the dry flour ingredients. Continue to alternate the additions until all of the milk and dry flour ingredients have been used up. Make sure to finish by adding the last third of the dry flour ingredients. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until well combined, 3 minutes.
• Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans and use a rubber spatula to smooth out the tops. Bake, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 15 minutes before turning out and onto a wire rack to let cool completely. Once cool, level off any domed toms with a large serrated knife or cake leveller.
• Place all the ingredients into a medium sized saucepan set over medium-high heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a light rolling boil and let it simmer for 2 minutes before removing from the heat to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Once cool, use a pastry brush dipped in the syrup to lightly glaze the cut side of each cake layer. Set aside for assembly.
• Place the egg whites and sugar in a medium sized bowl stand mixer bowl and whisk them together to just combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with a few inches of water set over medium-high heat. Do not let the water touch the base of the bowl.
• Whisking occasionally, heat the egg and sugar mixture until it reaches a temperature of 70 C (160 F) on a thermometer. Once at temperature. remove the mixer bowl from the heat and set it onto the stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, whisk the mixture on high speed until it reaches medium stiff peaks, about 8 to 10 minutes. The bowl should no longer be hot to the touch and no heat should be released from the meringue. Stop mixing and swap out the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add in the butter, a few tablespoons at a time, until it is all incorporated. Add in the vanilla bean extract, rose water and salt. Beat, on medium-high speed until the buttercream is increased in volume and is significantly thicker, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add in the champagne and melted white chocolate. Beat until silky smooth and thick, about 4-6 more minutes then add in a few drops of food colouring (if using) until the buttercream is dyed a light shade of pastel pink. Beat until well combined then remove the bowl from the stand mixer and set aside for assembly.
• Place the first cake layer, cut side facing up, on a cake stand or serving platter. Use an offset palette knife to spread 3-4 tablespoons of the buttercream over the top, spreading it right to the edges. Top with the second cake layer, cut side facing down, and again, generously spread over about 3-4 tablespoons of the buttercream over the second cake layer. Lightly press it down to seal. Finish with the remaining third cake layer, cut side facing down, and spread a thin layer of the buttercream over the top and sides of the cake to crumb coat it. Set the cake in the refrigerator to harden the first buttercream coating, about 30 minutes.
• Once set, remove the cake from the refrigerator and spread a generous amount of the buttercream on-top to cover the cake. I used a large offset palette knife to smoothly frost the entire cake but you can thickly frost it, thinly frost it (for a naked cake effect), decorate the cake with buttercream swirls, piping… the choice is entirely up to you. Set the cake back in the refrigerator to set the coating, about 30 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the finely chopped white chocolate over a small saucepan of barely simmering water set on medium-low heat. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water. Heat, stirring often, until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Remove from the bowl from the heat and set it aside to cool for 5-10 minutes, or until the chocolate has cooled slightly and is beginning to thicken.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator and pour the glaze directly over the top of the cake, using a spatula or butter knife to help it out of the bowl and to run down the sides of the cake to form a dripping effect.
• At this point, you can decorate the top of the cake with some fresh flowers, edible rose petals and gold leaf (if using). I reserved a few tablespoons of the buttercream to use as my ‘glue’ to attach the flowers. Set the cake back in the refrigerator and chill it until firm before serving, about 30 more minutes. The cake will keep for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature before serving, it may also be frozen for up to 1 month.