Sixteen years of bakery magic.
Now in your kitchen.

Unlock Your Bakery Secrets
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The Sift Story

Built in a
real bakery.

Pink Champagne wasn't just a best-seller. It was THE cake.
The cake people drove across town for.
The cake served at the wedding.
The cake that sold out every week across five Sift locations for over 16 years.

We won on Food Network. We made the Inc. 5000. And then—we closed.

But you never stopped asking for this cake. So we brought it back.

16
Years perfecting this recipe in our bakeries
5
Locations where it sold out weekly
1
Food Network Cupcake Wars championship
The cake you asked for is back. Now here's how to make it unforgettable.

Make it
Extraordinary.

These are the exact tricks we used in our bakeries—now they're yours.

01
Go Tall — The 3-Layer Stack
Use 6-inch cake pans instead of 8-inch. Divide your batter across three pans. The result is a tall, dramatic bakery-style layer cake. It photographs beautifully and feels like a real occasion.
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02
Level It (Optional, But Worth It)
If your layers dome slightly, use a serrated knife to gently trim the tops so they stack evenly. Go slow—and don't worry about perfection. Your frosting will do the rest.
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03
The Real Champagne Swap
Substitute the water in your mix with dry sparkling wine or prosecco—measure for measure. The alcohol bakes off completely, but the depth of champagne flavor stays. Use something you would actually drink.
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04
The Raspberry Middle Layer
Thin out raspberry jam with a splash of warm water (or more champagne) and spread a thin layer between each cake tier before frosting. It looks stunning when you slice the cake.
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05
Parchment Circles — Every Time
Place a round of parchment paper at the bottom of each cake pan before pouring batter. This is the single most-overlooked trick that prevents every stuck cake disaster. Your layers will release clean every single time.
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Want the exact pans, scoop, and tools I use? Browse my full baker's toolkit →

06
The Naked Cake Look
Frost only the top—thick between the layers, and leave the sides exposed. Use the back of a spoon to create soft swoops on top. Finish with a few fresh raspberries. Bakeries charge $20 more for this style.
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Piping & Swirl Tricks · Flavor Boosts · Bakery-Style Finishes

Frosting that
actually works.

The difference between homemade and bakery frosting is right here.

Choose Your Frosting Style

You can use your frosting mix two ways, depending on what you're craving.

Go with a rich, bakery-style buttercream (the original Sift cupcake frosting), or a lighter whipped version for soft layered cakes.

See full frosting styles →
01
Piping Like a Pro
Use the largest piping tip you have available.

No piping bag? Use a ziplock and cut the corner.

Start in the center, spiral outward. Press gently but squeeze the piping firmly and flick your wrist to finish the swirl.

That's it. You're officially a cake person now.
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02
Bakery Buttercream (Sift Signature)
This is the frosting we used at Sift for our cupcakes.

Whip 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened butter until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 full pouch of frosting mix, and 4 tablespoons heavy cream. Finish with a small squeeze of lemon juice (about 1-1.5tsp) and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.

Beat until thick, smooth, and pipeable.

Thick, pipeable, and exactly how we finished our cupcakes in the bakery.
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03
The Signature Pink
Add 2–3 drops of pink gel food coloring to your frosting for a soft blush tone that matches the cake crumb. Start with one drop and build. The result looks bakery-intentional, not just pastel.
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04
The Swirl Technique
Use a large offset spatula or the back of a spoon to press down slightly and sweep in one smooth circular motion. Add a few more swoops for dimension. Less is always more.
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Cupcake Wars Winner · Inc. 5000 Founder

What I Use
in My Kitchen.

You have the mix. These are the exact tools I use to make Pink Champagne turn out the way it should. No fluff, no sponsored picks — just what actually works.

Some links may earn me a small commission. I only share what I actually use.

Want everything I use in one place? Shop my full baker's toolkit →

The Pans
Fat Daddio's 6 inch cake pan Pro Pick
This is what we used at Sift

Fat Daddio's Round Pan, 6"

Why I use this:

6" pans give you that tall, bakery-style cake. Stack 3-4 layers and the slice is unreal. No hot spots, no warping, no sticking.

You'll want parchment rounds with this. Shop ↗
Fat Daddio's 8 inch cake pan
Best for everyday baking

Fat Daddio's Round Pan, 8"

Your go-to size for a classic cake. Easy to work with, feeds a crowd, bakes evenly every time.

You'll want parchment rounds with this too. Shop ↗
Standard Cupcake Pan

Standard Cupcake Pan

Make sure your cup size is 2.75" wide. That's the size that gives you the best-looking cupcake every time.

Shop ↗
Mini Cake Pans Gift Worthy

Mini Cake Pans

I love baking a batch in these and giving them as gifts. Everyone loves them and the cake stays moist for days.

Shop ↗
For This Cake
Chefmaster Natural Pink Gel Color What I Use

Chefmaster Natural Pink Gel Color

Why I use this:

This is how you get that signature blush frosting. Plant-based, no artificial dyes, and a little goes a long way.

Pairs with the piping bags and 808 tip. Shop ↗
Acetate Cake Collars Naked Cake

Cake Collars

This is what takes your cake from homemade to "wait, you made that?" Clean, even sides every single time. Cut to size.

Shop ↗
Parchment Rounds

Parchment Paper Rounds

Why I use this:

Pre-cut circles for your pans. This single step prevents every stuck cake disaster. I use these every single time I bake.

Shop ↗
Cake Leveler

Cake Leveler

Level layers are the difference between a beautiful cake and one that leans.

Shop ↗
Raspberry Preserves Sift Approved

Raspberry Preserves

Spread a thin layer between your cake layers. Quality jam is the difference between a good cake and a great one.

Shop ↗
Decorating
Ateco 808 piping tip

Ateco 808 Piping Tip

Why I use this:

If you only buy one piping tip, this is it. Gives you those big, clean bakery-style swirls in one motion.

Use this with the disposable piping bags below. Shop ↗
Ateco 6-piece piping tip set Well Rounded

Ateco 6-Piece Piping Tip Set

The set I'd give a friend starting out. Covers every finish you need for a celebration cake.

Shop ↗
Disposable Piping Bags

Disposable Piping Bags

Why I use this:

Buy the box. You'll go through them faster than you think. Pairs with the Ateco tips above.

Shop ↗
Decorating Turntable

Decorating Turntable

Non-negotiable. This is the single tool that makes your frosting look professional. You cannot frost a cake properly without one.

Shop ↗
Offset Spatula

Offset Spatula

For smoothing between layers and the outside of the cake. Get both sizes.

Use this with the turntable above. Shop ↗
Cupcakes
Blue #16 Scoop Millions Scooped
We used this across every Sift location

Blue #16 Scoop

Why I use this:

This is how we kept every cupcake identical. Perfect portion, consistent bake, every single time.

Use this with piping bags and the 808 tip. Shop ↗
Mini Cupcake Scoop Mini Cupcakes

Mini Cupcake Scoop

If you're making minis, this is the one. Same consistent portion every single time.

Shop ↗
See my full baker's toolkit — every tool I use →
Community

Show Us
Your Slice.

We want the beauty shot. We want the close-up of that pink crumb. Show us what you made and we will feature our favorites on Instagram.

#PartyBySift
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Tap to upload your photos

Up to 3 photos · The slice shot, the beauty shot, the crumb close-up — all welcome.

We review every submission and feature our favorites. Tag us too — #PartyBySift

✓

Your slice is in.

We will review it and may feature it on Instagram. Tag us too — #PartyBySift

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