Ingredients
Rose Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 free-range eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
- 3 1/2 oz strawberry jam
Sugar Petals
- 3 egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 14 oz organic, unsprayed rose petals
Buttercream
- 1 1/3 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp condensed milk
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Steps
Rose Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease and line 3 (8-inch) springform pans and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one by one, beating well between each addition, then add the vanilla followed by the flour. Divide the mixture among the 3 pans and bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes. When done, allow to cool in their pans for 5 minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack until completely cool.
- To assemble, place a cake layer on a serving plate and secure with a dot of icing. Cut the end off the piping bag and pipe a ring around the outside of the cake. Fill the center with half of the jam and then place a second cake on top.
- Repeat, piping a border of icing around the edge of the cake and filling with jam then placing the third cake on top. Cover the whole cake in icing.
- To decorate with the rose petals, place a dab of icing at the bottom of the rose petals and secure by pressing into the cake. Cover the whole cake with rose petals and serve to the family on Mother’s Day as a stunning centerpiece!
Sugar Petals
- Divide rose petals in half. (You will only sugar half of them.)
- Whisk the egg whites in a bowl with a pinch of the sugar until frothy.
- Place the remaining sugar in a separate bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the rose petals with the egg white mixture and then sprinkle with the sugar until the petals are coated in sugar. Shake off any excess then place onto a wire rack.
- Repeat until half of the rose petals are sugared. Leave to dry for 1 to 2 days (depending on the environment) until crisp and dry.
- Place the other half of the rose petals into a saucepan and pour over 2 cups of water. Place over medium heat, cover and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the color of the rose petals has faded.
- Leave the lid on and cool completely, then strain the water through a muslin into a clean bowl. Using a funnel, pour into a bottle and store in the fridge until needed.
Buttercream
- Beat the butter until smooth then add the powdered sugar, bit by bit, until you have a pale, creamy mixture. Add the condensed milk, vanilla and rose water and beat to combine then place a few spoonfuls into a piping bag.
