The beauty of the book lays in its caveman-simple directions and the use of no-muss no-fuss ingredients that could be found laying around a bachelor pad. One ingredient that figures prominently, unsurprisingly, is beer. The instructions for a recipe might go something like this: "Dump half a can of beer into a pot, then drink the other half..."
When I was making these Mini Champagne Cakes, I kept thinking about A Man, A Can, A Plan. "Dump half a bottle of champagne into a bowl, then drink the other half..." It was tempting but then again, so are these Mini Champagne Cakes and I needed all but about a glass for the recipe. So what was this sober cook rewarded with in the end? Light and delicate mounds of champagne-infused bliss, perfect for a festive occasion. Luckily, I already have an event in mind. My friend Sarah is having a baby girl this fall and her upcoming shower motivated me to test out some recipes, including this one.
To be honest, I've actually made Mini Champagne Cakes a couple times before and have always adored them. Unfortunately, the last time I made them they got horribly stuck in the pans and while they were still delicious, they weren't exactly the sort of thing I would want to present to an expectant mother and all her friends. I decided to do a test run to see if I could remedy the sticky situation.
This time I greased the pans well, floured them and only filled them about two-thirds full. I let the cakes cool in the pan and then inverted them onto a flat wire rack which I menacingly banged against the metal sink edge a few times to help the cakes release. Guess what? It worked! I hope the ladies at the shower like boozed up cake!
Disclaimer: Men can't control themselves around these cakes. If you wish to save them for a photo shoot or a special event, consider making a sign since verbal warnings may prove insufficient. In fact, some men may interpret anything you say regarding these cakes as an invitation to eat one.
Mini Champagne Cakes
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cups shortening
- 2 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- A few drops of red food coloring (optional)
- 6 egg whites
- 2 cups champagne
Directions
- Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Grease and flour 12 mini bunt cake pans (they come in groupings of six.) Grease and flour 4-6 muffin cups for the extra batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and if desired, 8-10 drops red food coloring. Slowly add egg whites.
- Alternately fold in flour mixture and champagne to shortening mixture until just combined- Avoid over-mixing as this will make the cake tough.
- Spoon into prepared bunt pans to a height of 2/3 full.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow to cool, then invert on a wire rack and thump against counter to release.
- Drizzle with Champagne Icing and allow to dry.
Champagne Icing
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons champagne, plus additional
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Red food coloring, if desired
Directions
- In medium bowl, combine all ingredients.
- Slowly stir in more champagne, one teaspoon at a time, until icing is a drizzle-able thick glaze consistency.
Recipe Credit: From Simply Perfect Celebrations, 2003. I can't find any record of this publication. I'm not sure if it was a book or a magazine, all I have is the stained, photocopied pages the recipe appears on.