Pink Champagne & Strawberry Cake

Hiya!! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, mine was turkey-filled. Got lots of wonderful presents, and hopefully everyone liked what I gave them. And now 2010 is almost over, can you believe it? I know I say this every year, but this year has really whizzed by. So I'm closing off the year with a celebratory cake. I know it's a little late for those who might actually want to attempt this recipe for New Year's Eve parties, I planned on getting it done earlier but then work got in the way, as per usual.

So what is this cake exactly? It's been a while since I've worked up the energy to make a full-sized layered cake, but it was exactly what I thought was perfect for this time of year. There were so many sweet little strawberries on sale, and I had to test out my new strawberry huller which I got for Christmas. I'm not usually a fan of one-use-only kitchen gadgets but it was so handy! And nothing says New Year like champagne...so here is my Fresh Strawberry Cake with Pink Champagne Buttercream.

I made this cake with several occasions in mind. It's a HAPPY NEW YEAR! cake...and a WELCOME BACK! cake for my brother and his wife, and also HAPPY BIRTHDAY! for the both of them who celebrated their birthdays overseas this month. So hopefully when they arrive tomorrow and try the cake they will totally love it and will be very understanding about the fact that their sister is a baking blogger who always shows up with cakes that already have a slice carved out of them. Because I always have to give you guys a good innards shot!

YUM! That makes you want to dive right into it right? The strawberry cake is super, super easy, and a great way to show off some really great sweet, fresh strawberries. The cakes stay nice and soft, so you don't have to worry about making them a couple days ahead before you cover them in the buttercream. The pink champagne in the buttercream gives it a very light tang which counteracts the sweetness of the cake. Top it off with more of those fresh strawberries dipped in some bitter dark chocolate and it's certain to be a hit with your friends on New Year's Eve.

I always forget what a pain it is to ice a cake until I start doing it. Obviously my icing skills could still use some work, but I think I'm slowly improving! I love how pretty and pink the insides of the cake look against the pale buttercream. And it wouldn't be a New Year's celebration cake without fireworks right???

Strawberry Cake with Pink Champagne Buttercream
(adapted from this recipe, serves 8-10)
85g (6 tbsp) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
2 punnets (1 pound) strawberries, hulled and halved (if you wanted to make it a little boozier, you could marinate the strawberries in pink champagne overnight)

For the buttercream:
5 large egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
315g butter, room temperature
2/3 cup pink champagne
Optional: 1 punnet fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate, white chocolate flakes
(If you're new to making Swiss meringue buttercream, these wonderful tutorials from two of my favourite bloggers will help)

Grease and line two 20cm round cake tins and preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Split mixture between the two prepared tins and smooth tops with a spatula. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, 1 punnet per tin, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries (1 tbsp for each tin). Bake cakes for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 160 degrees. Bake until cakes are golden brown and firm to the touch, about 40-45 mins (if on top and bottom rack, switch cakes between racks halfway through). Let cool in tin on a wire rack, then turn out. Can be stored in an airtight container for a day or so before icing.

To prepare the buttercream, whisk together egg white and sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Clip a candy thermometer to side of bowl. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and whisk until mixture reaches 70°C (160°F) and sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.

With a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg white mixture on high speed until cooled and thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Add champagne and whip until smooth and thick. Buttercream can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before using, and beat on low speed until smooth. Fill and crumb coat the cake with about 1/3 of the mixture, then cover entire cake with the remaining frosting and smooth with a spatula. Top with chocolate covered strawberries and shaved white chocolate to decorate. Can be refrigerated for up to three days after icing. For best results, remove from the fridge several hours ahead and serve at room temperature.

Happy New Year everyone!!! I will see you in 2011 with more baked goodies :)