Prosecco Cake

Cheapass version of champagne cake, but still super extra.

This recipe comes from The Hummingbird Bakery. The initial recipe is for pink champagne cupcakes, but they do not need to be pink, they do not need to be made with champagne and they do not need to be cupcakes. This makes a bitchen 6" 3 layer cake, and it is EXTRA. With a prosecco custard filling and prosecco in the cake, it is not for children and only suitable for bold adults. 1 mini bottle or split of prosecco will make one batch. This was for a birthday, and I went over the top extra - sprinkles the cake batter, sprinkles core and brightly coloured icing.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

160g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

175g sugar, granulated or caster

115ml / 106g vegetable oil

115ml prosecco

For the Custard:

350ml / 340g single cream

4 large egg yolks

100g caster sugar

80ml prosecco

30g cornflour

30g unsalted butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

Food dye as desired

For the Icing:

300ml / 295g double cream

40g caster sugar

Food dye as desired

Instructions:

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C and grease and flour 3 x 6" cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt

Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the eggs, vanilla extract and sugar for 2 minutes at medium speed.

Pour the oil into the egg mixture in a slow steady stream with the mixer running until incorporated.

In three additions, add the flour mixture and champagne, starting and ending with the flour mixture (1/3 flour mixture - 1/2 champagne - 1/3 flour mixture - 1/2 champagne - 1/3 flour mixture).

Scrape down the side of the bowl to make sure everything is combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for c.20 minutes until a clean knife or toothpick inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pans for 5 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Custard:

Heat the cream in a saucepan until hot but not boiling.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar, then the champagne and cornflour.

Add 1/4 of the hot cream to the egg mixture, whisking vigorously to make sure the eggs don't cook but warm up.

Pour the heated mixture into the pan with the cream and continue cooking on medium-low heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly, c. 2 minutes.

Pour the custard into a heatproof bowl and mix in the butter until melted.

Cover with cling film, pressing it directly onto the surface of the custard to stop a skin forming.

Allow to cool completely, refrigerate until cold.

For the Icing:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream on medium speed, keeping a close eye on it.

When the cream starts to thicken, slowly add in the sugar, increasing the speed just until peaks start to form.

Beat in 100g of the custard until smooth, and refrigerate the icing until needed.

This is also when you can add food dye to the icing and remaining custard if you want to.

For the Assembly:

Spread a little bit of icing on a cake plate and place the first layer on it.*

Pipe or spread some of the custard over the first layer, then cover with icing.

Repeat with the second and third layers, omitting the custard on the third layer.

Cover the cake with a thin layer of icing to seal in crumbs and then refrigerate c.30 minutes.

Decorate the cake with the remaining icing and custard as you damn well please.

*If wanting to make a sprinkle core, use a shot glass to cut a round out of the centre of the first and second layers. Fill the centre hole with sprinkles before using the third layer to seal it over and give the impression of a totally normal layer cake.