Champagne Strawberry Truffle Cake
Champagne cake filled with strawberry reduction, fresh strawberries, white chocolate truffle ganache and vanilla buttercream
Ingredients
- 14 ounces (397g) cake flour
- 12 ounces (340g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 ounces (113g) whole milk, room temperature
- 3 oz (85g) canola oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (227g) champagne, I used Ruffino Rosé Prosecco
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- 8 ounces (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
Strawberry Reduction
- 16 ounces (454g) frozen strawberries
- ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
White Chocolate Truffle Filling
- 16 ounces (454 grams) white chocolate, chips or chopped
- 6 ounces (170g) heavy cream
Vanilla Italian Meringue Buttercream
- ½ batch prepared Italian meringue buttercream
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced
Instructions
Champagne Cake
- Preheat the oven to 335F
- Prepare the cake pans. You can use 3-8" pans for a 3 layer cake, or 2 -8" pans, then torte in half, for a 4 layer cake. Brush the bottoms and sides of your cake pans with melted butter. Line the bottoms and sides with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, granulated sugar,baking powder, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, mix for 1 minute to combine.
- In a small measuring cup, whisk together the whole milk, oil and vanilla.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the egg whites and champagne.
- With the mixer on low-medium speed, add in the softened butter pieces, one or two pieces at a time. Mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal. You should be able to gather a bit in your hand, squeeze and you have a solid piece. This means the butter is evenly distributed.
- With the mixer still on low, pour in the whole milk, oil and vanilla mixture and mix until the flour mixture is moistened.
- Turn the mixer speed to medium (4 or 6) and beat for *2-3 full* minutes. The mixture should be whipped, thick, and lighter in color.
- Stop the mixer. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is properly mixed.
- Turn the mixer speed on low, add the champagne and egg white mixture in three parts, scraping down the bowl after each addition has been mixed in.
- Once all the wet ingredients have been incorporated, give the bowl a final scrape and mix with a spatula. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared pans.
- Bake the layers for 30-40 minutes for 3 pans, 40-50 minutes for 2 pans. Start checking the cake at 30-35 minutes to test for doneness. Cakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the top of the cake feels springy and set when touched.
- Tap each cake pan firmly against the counter to remove excess steam. If your cakes dome at all, use a clean kitchen towel to gently push the domes down. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pans.
- Run a palette or butter knife around the cakes in their pans before turning them out to cool completely on cooling racks.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
Make the Strawberry Reduction
- Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan.
- Place the pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the strawberries have softened.
- Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, smash the strawberries to release their juice and break them up. Cook for 3 minutes more.
- Push the hot strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve in a large bowl. Discard the leftover pulp.
- Pour the strawberry pureé back into the sauce pan and place over medium-low heat.
- Simmer the mixture for 30 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced to ⅓ cup and has thickened.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use.
White Chocolate Truffle Filling
- Place the white chocolate into a medium size bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds.
- In a small saucepan over medium low heat, heat the heavy cream until the mixture just starts to bubble up around the edge of the pan. Do not boil.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt. Gently whisk the chocolate and cream until smooth.
- Leave the ganache at room temperature until it is a thicker, spreadable consistency, like peanut butter, about an 45-60 minutes.
Assemble the Champagne Strawberry Truffle cake
- Working with chilled cake layers, use a long serrated knife to remove any doming from your cakes.
- **(If you baked in 2 pans instead of 3, torte the layers, cutting them evenly in half. You will have four cake layers total. The tops of the cakes will be the center two layers of your cake.)
- Fit a piping bag with a large round tip ( I use an Ateco 808), and fill with vanilla Italian meringue buttercream.
- Put one of the cake layers, cut side up onto an 8" cake board or directly onto a cake stand.
- Spread a thin, even layer of the strawberry reduction on the cake layer with an offset spatula.
- Pipe a dam around the perimeter of the cake layer.
- Place a single layer of sliced strawberries inside the damn.
- Top with white chocolate ganache, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly over the strawberries. Filling should be ¼" thick.
- Add the second cake layer and repeat with the strawberry reduction, buttercream dam and sliced strawberries.
- Top with white chocolate ganache, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly over the strawberries. Filling should be ¼" thick.
- *(For 4 layer cakes, pipe buttercream over the sliced strawberries in place of the ganache, creating a ¼" layer of buttercream. Smooth with a spatula.)
- Place the third layer on top, and frost the outside and top of the cake with the remaining buttercream.
- *(For 4 layer cakes, repeat steps 5-9. Smooth with a spatula. Top with 4th and final layer, and frost the outside and top of cake with the remaining buttercream.
- Decorate with fresh strawberries.
Notes
Champagne cake layers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Strawberry reduction can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
White chocolate truffle filling can be left at room temperature for up to two days. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen for up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator over night before using.
Vanilla Italian meringue buttercream can be left at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerated for up to a week, and frozen up to a month. Thaw to room temperature before rewhipping for use.
Assembled cake can be left out for several hours for serving, but refrigerate to store it. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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