4 c Flour
3 c Sugar
5 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Baking soda
1-2/3 c Milk
1 c Shortening
1/2 c Champagne
1 tb Vanilla
12 Red food coloring (optional)
8 Egg whites
9 tb Champagne
Edible carnations
-----champagne buttercream--
3/4 c Shortening
3/4 c Butter or margarine
1 tb Champagne
4-1/2 c Powdered sugar
Red food color
Grease and lightly flour one 9" round pan and one 13x9x2 pan; set aside.
In a very large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda,
and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add milk, shortening, 1/2 cup champagne, vanilla,
and, if desired, red food coloring. Beat on low to medium speed about 30
seconds or just till combined, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium
speed 2 minutes. Add unbeaten egg whites; beat 2 minutes. (Batter may
appear slightly curdled.) Spread 2-3/4 cups batter in 9" pan and
remaining batter in 13x9x2 pan. Bake at 350°F 30-35 minutes for round cake
and 40-45 minutes for rectangular cake or until cake tests done. Cool cakes
in pans on racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Using
cardboard circle patterns of 4 and 6 inches, cut one 4-inch and one 6-inch
cake layer from the 13x9x2 cake. If desired, drizzle 3 tablespoons of
champagne over the top of each round cake layer. Place the 9-inch cake
layer on a serving plate; frost sides and top. Lining up the backs of the
layers, place the 6-inch cake on top of the 9-inch cake; frost sides and
top. Repeat with remainging 4-inch cake. If desired, tint any remaining
frosting; decorate with tinted frosting and flowers. Serves 24. CHAMPAGNE
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING: In a bowl beat shortening and butter or margarine
until combined. Beat in champagne or cream sherry. Beat in sifted powdered
sugar and a few drops red food coloring. If necessary, beat in additional
champagne or cream sherry to make frosting spreading consistency.
