The greatest adventure is what lies ahead. Today and tomorrow are yet to be said. The chances, the changes are all yours to make. The mold of your life is in your hands to break. – J.R.R. Tolkien

the time has come.

we are packing this week and getting ready to head out of texas.

while we will be driving out early next week with a heavy heart, full of memories, beyond grateful for this last year, wishing we could tuck much-loved family members and felines into our pockets to take with us, we’ll also be looking forward to the tomorrows and the chances. as we often say in this family, the adventure continues…

and what better to celebrate an adventure than champagne and strawberries!

i made this grain-free champagne & strawberries cake (topped with these champagne macarons) not soon after my husband returned from afghanistan. that’s something to celebrate for sure. but i’m posting it now to celebrate this new leaf. the next chapter. the great adventure.

this #grainfree Champagne & Strawberries Cake is a great way to celebrate a loved one or a grand adventure! Click To Tweet

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Grain-Free Champagne & Strawberries Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:

3 cups almond flour
1 cup arrowroot starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter softened
2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups Champagne
4 egg whites beaten to stiff peaks

For the Champagne Buttercream:

1 cup buttercream just softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons Champagne
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Instructions

To make Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°.
Line 2 (9-inch) baking pans with parchment paper.
Combine almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum in a medium bowl.
Combine sugar and 1 cup butter in the container of a stand mixer. Beat for 4 minutes or until creamy and fluffy. Add egg yolks; beat an additional 1 minute. Stir in half of almond flour mixture, then half of Champagne. Add remaining almond flour; stir. Add remaining Champagne; stir well.
Fold in beaten egg whites. Divide batter evenly among both baking pans.
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until pick comes out clean and cakes are golden. Allow cakes to cool for 5 minutes in pans. Carefully turn cakes out onto a rack to cool; remove and discard parchment.

To make Champagne Buttercream:

Beat softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add Champagne to mixture and beat until smooth.

Assemble Cake:

Place one cake on cake stand or plate. Top cake with buttercream. Evenly sprinkle fresh strawberries over buttercream. Top with remaining cake. Spread cake with buttercream to coat. Decorate with pretty flowers, sprinkles, and Champagne Macarons, if desired.