Instructions

CAKE

1. Spray 3 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and set aside.
   
2. Adjust an oven rack to the center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Then whisk to combine.
   
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together on medium speed for 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low speed and slowly pour the oil into the mixture until combined. On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the champagne in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing until just barely blended. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. The batter will be thin. Mix in pink gel food coloring on low speed. Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the batter together to be sure you don’t over mix.
   
4. Divide the cake batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached; rotating pans halfway through baking. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool in their pans on wire racks for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the cakes onto wire racks and let cool completely.
   

VANILLA BEAN PASTRY CREAM

1. In a medium saucepan, add half-and-half, 6 tablespoons of sugar, vanilla bean seeds and salt to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
   
2. Meanwhile, combined the egg yolks, cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
   
3. Whisk in about 1 cup of the half-and-half mixture into the yolk mixture to temper. Slowly whisk in the tempered egg mixture into remaining half-and-half mixture. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the pastry cream is thick and bubbles start to pop on the surface, about 30 seconds.
   
4. Remove from the heat and remove the vanilla bean and whisk in the butter. Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours or up to 2 days.
   

CHAMPAGNE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, pour in the egg whites and sugar and whisk by hand until combined. Fill a medium saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Place mixer bowl on top, being sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water and attach a candy thermometer.
   
2. Whisking occasionally, heat the egg mixture until the temperature reaches 160 degrees. Once the mixture reaches 160 degrees, transfer to a stand mixer and beat the mixture on high speed for 10 minutes or until medium-stiff peaks form. At this point the outside of the mixer bowl should be room temperature. Switch out the whisk attachment with the paddle attachment and with the mixer on low speed, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, and then add the vanilla extract and champagne. Once combined, turn up the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the buttercream is smooth about 5 minutes. Add gel food color to the buttercream a little at a time. (I used a mix of blue and green to create teal.)
   

ASSEMBLE

1. Place a nonslip mat on top of a cake turntable and place an 8-inch cake board on top. Center the first cake layer on top of the cake board, making sure there's even spacing from all around the edges. Fit a piping bag with a coupler or round piping tip and pipe a buttercream dam around the cakes edge. Spread about 2/3 cup pastry cream over the top of the cake in an even layer with a small offset spatula. (Don’t overfill the cake, or the cake layers will start sliding.) Place the second cake layer on top and pipe another buttercream dam around the edge. Spread another 2/3 cup pastry cream over the top of the cake in an even layer. Add the third and final cake layer (bottom side up) on top and gently press to adhere.
   

CRUMB COAT

1. Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the top and sides of the cake, creating a crumb coat. Chill the crumb coated cake in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
   

DECORATE

1. Apply a large dollop of buttercream on top of the cake and spread out evenly. Line an 8-inch round acrylic disc with parchment paper with a bit of buttercream. Line up the acrylic disc with the bottom cake board and gently press on to the top of the cake to adhere. Cover the sides of the cake with more buttercream and gently press a cake scraper against the acrylic disc and bottom cake board and slowly rotate the cake turntable all the way around to create a smooth finish on the side of the cake. Fill in any gaps in the buttercream with more buttercream and continue to rotate the cake turntable with the cake scraper until smooth.
   
2. Carefully pick up the cake with one hand, over a rimmed baking sheet. With the other hand, apply sprinkles to the bottom sides of the cake. To strategically place sprinkles on the upper sides, use your finger to apply each sprinkle one at a time, being careful that your finger doesn’t touch the cake (only the sprinkle should touch the cake). If the sprinkles won’t stick to your finger, you can press your finger on to a moist towel so the sprinkle with attach to your finger. Once the bottom and sides are covered with sprinkles, chill the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes.
   
3. Insert a small offset cake spatula under the acrylic disc, but over the parchment paper and slowly rotate the turntable until the disc releases. Peel off the parchment paper.
   
4. Apply more buttercream to the top of the cake to fill in any gaps if needed and smooth the surface with a cake spatula. Fit a piping bag with Wilton piping tip #1M and fill with remaining buttercream. Pipe swirls around the top edge of the cake and top with more sprinkles. Carefully transfer to a cake pedestal and serve.