Strawberry Champagne Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
/There's something about a layer cake that instantly makes an occasion feel special, and this Strawberry Champagne Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting was made for celebrating.
Three soft cake layers are flavored with champagne and strawberry purée, then stacked with a creamy strawberry champagne cream cheese frosting. The champagne adds a subtle flavor while strawberry runs through both the cake and frosting, giving every slice that beautiful combination of berries and bubbly.
It's elegant enough for a bridal shower, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, birthday, or special brunch—but you certainly don't need to wait for a major celebration to make it.
And despite how impressive a tall three-layer cake looks on the table, the process is completely manageable when you break it into a few simple steps.
Why You'll Love This Strawberry Champagne Cake
This cake feels celebratory without relying on complicated decorating techniques or an overly elaborate filling.
I especially love that the strawberry and champagne flavors aren't limited to one component. They're incorporated into both the cake and frosting, helping the flavors carry through the entire dessert.
You'll love this cake because it's:
A beautiful three-layer celebration cake
Flavored with real strawberry purée
Made with champagne in both the cake and frosting
Finished with strawberry cream cheese frosting
Soft and tender thanks to cake flour
Beautiful for spring celebrations
Easy to customize for different occasions
Impressive enough to serve as the centerpiece of your dessert table
What Does Champagne Cake Taste Like?
Champagne cake doesn't taste like you're simply drinking a glass of champagne in cake form.
Instead, champagne adds another layer of flavor to the batter and complements the sweetness of the strawberry.
In this recipe, I use 1 cup of champagne in the cake batter and another 1/4 cup in the frosting, so that flavor is incorporated throughout the finished cake.
Pairing it with strawberry purée makes this cake fruity, sweet, and perfect for a celebration.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Strawberry Champagne Cake
Cake Flour
I use 2 1/4 cups of cake flour rather than all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Champagne
You'll need 1 cup of champagne for the cake batter.
Strawberry Purée
Half a cup of strawberry purée brings strawberry flavor directly into the cake.
Eggs
The recipe uses three whole eggs plus three additional egg whites.
Butter
This cake uses both melted butter and grated butter. Grating cold butter into the dry ingredients helps distribute small pieces throughout the mixture.
Heavy Cream
A small amount of heavy cream adds richness.
Vanilla
Three teaspoons complement both the strawberry and champagne flavors.
Sugar
Granulated sugar provides the sweetness for the cake layers.
Baking Powder & Salt
These round out our dry ingredients and help create the cake's structure.
For the Strawberry Champagne Cream Cheese Frosting
You'll need:
Butter
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
Strawberry purée
Vanilla
Champagne
The strawberry purée naturally brings both flavor and beautiful color into the frosting.
Why Grate Butter into Cake Batter?
This recipe uses a technique you might not see in every cake recipe: grating the butter directly over the dry ingredients.
After combining the dry ingredients, grate one cup of butter over the mixture and work it in by hand until the pieces are no larger than approximately pea-sized.
The wet ingredients are then incorporated before adding the champagne and strawberry purée.
It's a little different from the traditional creaming method, but it's the technique I use for this particular cake.
How to Make Strawberry Champagne Cake
Start by preparing three 6-inch round cake pans and preheating your oven to 350°F.
Gently whisk the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla together.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients before grating the butter over the top. Work the butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces are no larger than pea-sized.
Add the wet mixture and blend with an electric mixer. Finally, add the champagne and strawberry purée, mixing on low just until incorporated.
Divide the batter evenly among your three pans and bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Then—and this part matters—let those cake layers cool before frosting them.
How to Make Strawberry Champagne Cream Cheese Frosting
The frosting might be one of my favorite parts of this cake.
Butter and cream cheese create the rich, creamy base, while strawberry purée brings in the berry flavor and champagne ties the frosting back to the cake itself.
You'll also add vanilla and powdered sugar until everything is smooth and well combined.
If you prefer a thicker frosting, you can adjust the consistency with additional powdered sugar. If necessary, a little additional champagne can loosen it.
I sometimes double the frosting recipe when I want a particularly generous layer around the outside of the cake.
Strawberry Champagne Cake Recipe
Prep Time: Approximately 30 minutes
Bake Time: 27–30 minutes
Additional Cooling/Chilling: Approximately 1 hour
Cake: Three 6-inch layers
Ingredients
Strawberry Champagne Cake
3 large eggs
3 large egg whites
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup champagne
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, grated
1/2 cup strawberry purée
Strawberry Champagne Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup strawberry purée
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup champagne
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Pans
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly grease three 6-inch round cake pans.
Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, gently whisk together the whole eggs, egg whites, heavy cream, melted butter, and vanilla until combined.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4: Add the Grated Butter
Grate 1 cup of butter over the dry ingredients.
Work the butter into the dry mixture by hand until the pieces are no larger than approximately pea-sized.
Step 5: Finish the Batter
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and blend with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined.
Add the champagne and strawberry purée.
Mix again on low speed just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
Step 6: Bake
Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans.
Bake for 27–30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for approximately 15 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks.
Cool completely before frosting.
Step 7: Make the Frosting
Beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar, strawberry purée, vanilla, and champagne and continue mixing until completely combined.
Adjust the consistency with additional powdered sugar if you'd like a thicker frosting.
I sometimes double the frosting recipe when I want an extra-thick layer around the outside of the cake.
Step 8: Assemble the Cake
Place your first cooled cake layer onto a cake stand or serving plate.
Spread frosting over the top and repeat with the remaining layers.
Apply a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake to create a crumb coat.
Refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.
Step 9: Decorate
Remove the chilled cake and apply your final layer of frosting.
Smooth or texture the frosting however you prefer.
Smooth or texture the frosting however you prefer, then decorate as desired. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Amanda's Tips for the Best Strawberry Champagne Cake
Don't overmix after adding the champagne.
Once the champagne and strawberry purée go in, mix on low just until everything comes together.
Cool the cake completely.
Warm cake and cream cheese frosting are not friends. Give those layers enough time to cool.
Use room-temperature butter and cream cheese for the frosting.
You'll get a much smoother frosting.
Don't microwave your cream cheese for 30 seconds at a time.
I'm changing this from your old directions because it's very easy to accidentally melt it. If you forgot to soften it, very short intervals are safer.
Use the crumb coat.
That thin first layer catches loose crumbs and makes your final frosting layer much prettier.
Chill before the final frosting layer.
About 30 minutes helps set your crumb coat.
Make extra frosting if you love a thick finish.
As you already noted in the original recipe, you can double the frosting if you want a particularly generous exterior.
How to Decorate a Strawberry Champagne Cake
One of the reasons I love this cake is how easily you can change the presentation depending on the celebration.
For mine, I like a beautifully frosted exterior with piped frosting along the top and strawberries for the finishing touch.
But you could keep the frosting textured and simple, create a smooth finish, change your piping design, or decorate the cake to complement whatever occasion you're celebrating.
It's already such a beautiful cake that it doesn't need an elaborate decorating technique to make an impression.
I’ve gathered some of my favorite cake pans, decorating tools and baking essentials in my Cake Essentials collection.
When to Serve Strawberry Champagne Cake
This is one of those desserts that immediately feels celebratory.
I'd make it for:
Valentine's Day
Mother's Day
Bridal showers
Engagement celebrations
Anniversaries
Birthdays
Baby showers
Spring brunches
Wedding showers
New Year's celebrations
The pink strawberry frosting also makes it especially beautiful for spring and Valentine's Day.
Can I Make Strawberry Champagne Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes.
The cake layers can be baked ahead, cooled completely, wrapped well, and stored until you're ready to assemble your cake.
You can also assemble and frost the cake ahead of your celebration and refrigerate it.
Because the frosting contains cream cheese, I recommend keeping the finished cake refrigerated rather than leaving it sitting at room temperature for extended periods.
How to Store Strawberry Champagne Cake
Store the finished cake covered in the refrigerator.
For individual leftover slices, place them in an airtight container to prevent the cake from drying out.
For the best texture, you can allow an individual refrigerated slice to sit briefly at room temperature before serving.
Can You Freeze Strawberry Champagne Cake?
Yes.
The unfrosted cake layers are particularly easy to freeze. Once completely cool, wrap each layer securely before placing it into a freezer-safe container or bag.
You can also freeze individual pieces of the finished cake, although frosting texture may change slightly after thawing.
Thaw frozen cake in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Strawberry Champagne Cake taste like alcohol?
Champagne contributes flavor to the cake and frosting, but the finished dessert isn't meant to taste like drinking champagne.
Keep in mind that champagne added to the frosting is not cooked, so this recipe isn't alcohol-free.
Can I make this cake without champagne?
Because champagne is a defining ingredient in this particular recipe, replacing it would change both the flavor and potentially the batter consistency. I'd recommend using a recipe specifically formulated without champagne rather than making a large substitution here.
Can I make the cake layers ahead of time?
Yes. Bake and cool the layers completely, then wrap them well until you're ready to assemble.
Why do I need a crumb coat?
A crumb coat traps loose cake crumbs underneath a thin layer of frosting. Chilling it before adding the final layer gives you a cleaner exterior.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
I recommend using the cake flour called for in the recipe because changing flour can affect the cake's texture and structure.
Why does the cake use both whole eggs and egg whites?
The combination is part of the structure of this particular cake recipe, so I recommend following the recipe as written.
Does Strawberry Champagne Cake need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Because the frosting contains cream cheese, store the finished cake in the refrigerator.
More Layer Cake Recipes
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Blueberry Cake with Mascarpone Frosting
Orange Cake with Raspberry Mascarpone Frosting
Shop My Cake-Baking Favorites
From the cake pans and mixing tools I use while baking to decorating essentials and serving pieces, I've gathered some of my favorite cake-baking tools in my Cake Essentials collection.
Save This Recipe
Whether you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary, bridal shower, holiday, or simply making something beautiful for the people you love, I've included a printable recipe card below so this Strawberry Champagne Cake is easy to save, print, and make again.
A Note From Amanda
I think some desserts are meant to feel a little extra special.
Between the strawberry, champagne, three layers, and beautiful frosting, this is one of those cakes that turns an ordinary table into something worth gathering around.
And that's always my favorite reason to bake.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” — Psalm 34:8
Made with love for the people you love.
