Up Up and Away: Champagne Cake

7-Up cake is good. In fact, it's great. It is a beloved recipe in my first book.

But if you want to romance it up to give to your sweetie on Valentine's Day, you'll have to up the ante. How? By crunking it up with champagne, please.

This is basically 7-up cake with champagne (or sparkling wine, if you're in my income sector). One little substitution that makes a huge, but delicious, difference. Do it. And drink the rest of the champagne from the bottle like the epitome of class I know you are.

INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups butter 3 cups white sugar 5 eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons lemon extract 3/4 cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage DIRECTIONS: 1. Cream together the butter and sugar for 20 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time. Add flour, lemon extract and fold in the 7UP ™ soft drink. 2. Pour into a well-greased 12 cup Bundt pan. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 60 to 75 minutes.