Sparkletown (Cranberry Champagne Cakes with White Chocolate Frosting)

We recently embarked on a total kitchen renovation. It has been quite an adventure. Never in my life did I think I would be so excited to have a countertop in my life! The Professor and I decided we wanted to host Christmas dinner at our home. The best part? We still had people installing tile at 6 PM on Christmas Eve! This is my recipe to celebrate our new kitchen - even though it still only half done - Send Help and CAKE!

Champagne Cake with Cranberries

























Ingredients for Cake
2 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
2/14 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter (room temp)
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
5 Large Egg Whites (room temp)
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Champagne or Sparkling Wine
2 Cups Fresh Cranberries (cut in half)

Ingredients for the Frosting
12 oz White Chocolate Chips
3/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
3/4 Cup Butter Room Temp
8 Cups Confectioners Sugar
Recipe adapted from liv for cake

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Total Prep Time: 80 Minutes
Servings: 8 Slices (One 8 inch Cake)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium until white and fluffy. Add the vanilla and combine. Lower the speed of to low and add the egg whites one at a time and mix until fully combined.

Alternate between the dry ingredients and the sparkling wine. Beginning with flour and ending with sparkling wine - reserving 1/4 cup of the flour for the cranberriesCover the cranberries in the 1/4 cup of flour and fold into the cake batter. 

Pour the batter evenly into (2) 8 inch greased and floured cake pans. Bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside and cool completely.

Frosting
Place the white chocolate in a metal bowl. Microwave the heavy cream for 30 seconds. Pour the Hot cream over the chocolate chips. Place plastic wrap over the bowl tightly and set aside for 10 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Pour cooled ganache into the bowl of a mixer. Add the butter and mix on high until combined. Add 4 Cups of the confectioners sugar and mix on high for 2 minutes. Add the final 4 cups of confectioners sugar. Whip on high for 3-5 minutes.

Frost the cake. The frosting will get stodgy. If it does add some more heavy cream and move quickly.

Decorate and serve!

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