A White Rose Cake for Spring

This white rose cake is baked with aromatic rose water and full of very edible pesticide-free rose petals inside and out. A real show stopper of a dessert to show off your garden roses!

I have often shared with you how I could live forever in a garden filled with flowers. Despite my allergies towards these often breath-taking beauties, I absolutely adore flowers. When I got married, my bouquet was simple: an elegant bunch of purple calle lilies, my favorite bud.

Since then, I’ve added hydrangeas, camelias and my latest, peonies to my list of favorites. Of course, I also cherish orchids, dahlias, hyacinths, tulips and  the ranunculus. Quite honestly, I can’t choose which one is my favorite anymore.

But being half Persian, there’s nothing more majestic than the rose. And to celebrate spring, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day or just because, there’s no other majestic dessert than this white rose cake.

Are roses edible? Really??!!

Americans seem surprised when I tell them that roses are edible. Many are afraid to try a dish covered in roses. But, yes roses ARE edible. Just make sure that they are pesticide free and organic.

I usually use dried rose petals in my dishes. They are still very aromatic and they retain their color once baked. Fresh roses, especially when chopped or cut, start to oxidize and wither. So remember to treat them delicately.

Although this cake uses fresh roses for both inside and outside of the cake, you can substitute and use dried rose petals for the inside of the cake. You can also garnish the cake on the outside with dried rose petals. I like to crush them and scatter dried rose petals onto anything that needs a pop of color or a touch of floral.

What flowers are edible?

You’ll be happy to know that roses aren’t the only edible flowers you can nibble on from the garden. All of those fresh herbs you grow in the garden? They have blooms and yes, their edible. So are popular flowers like marigolds, hibiscus, impatiens, pansies and violets.

Before you eat a flower, do double check and make sure it is edible. Here’s a great list of edible flowers to use as a reference, if you’re interested.

Is this a Persian Love Cake?

If you are a reader of my blog, you know that I am half Persian married to a very Americanized Persian. I have been raised with Persian food and I cook even more Persian food for my family regularly. In all of the family dinners I’ve eaten, family weddings I’ve attended, family parties I’ve enjoyed, I have never ever been served or eaten or heard of a Persian Love Cake.

From what I’ve read online, the Persian Love Cake is traditionally a cake made with both all purpose flour and almond meal. It is also made with aromatic cardamom, rose water and saffron.

Online I have seen mostly non-Persian bloggers post about the Persian Love Cake in one way, shape or form. They range from white cakes made with just flour, some do not contain any saffron at all, but all have some form of roses, rosewater and of course, cardamom.

So, could this White Rose Cake be the illusive Persian Love Cake? Well, it is studded with the symbolic flower of love, the rose. It is baked with rose petals, rosewater and cardamom. When you look at this white rose cake, it certainly screams love to me. And I’m half Persian, so why not call this a Persian Love Cake?!

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Tools to Use

• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Hand Mixer
• Silicone Spatula

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What does a rose cake taste like?

Remember taste is a sensation not just from your taste buds but also from the smell. This white rose cake has a wonderful floral flavor in the cake itself, in the cream cheese frosting and from the rose petals you use to garnish your cake.

The cake texture is a little on the dense side, not as airy and fluffy as a white wedding cake. I personally like the texture and flavor from a denser cake. For one, a denser cake has flavor!! Many light and airy cakes only taste like sugar. So don’t be alarmed or turned off by a moist cake.

How to make this cake

Like I mentioned earlier, this white cake uses both rose petals and rose water, baked in the cake itself and also in the white fluffy frosting. The cake is baked in small 6×2-inch round pans, making a cute 3-layer cake. Don’t worry. This will serve at least 12 people!

Egg whites, butter, yogurt and milk give the cake it’s signature white color. The frosting is lightly sweetened and made with cream cheese and whipped cream. This 3-layer cake is the third time I have made this cake, where the first two were in a bundt pan. So feel free to bundt it if you prefer.

All of my guests loved the dense texture of the cake, because it was so moist and full of flavor. But, I think I will continue to tweak the recipe, as I am a perfectionist.

Remember, you can choose to eat, or not eat, the rose petals on the cake. I am happy to report, that everyone who had consumed the cake with the petals are still smiling and standing tall!

Have you ever added flowers to your meal? What did you think?

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Yield: 1 6-inch 3-layer cake

White Rose Cake

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This White Rose Cake is baked with aromatic rose water and full of very edible pesticide-free rose petals inside and out.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 6 egg whites
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 TBS rosewater
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cup fresh rose petals, diced
• 12 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Coat 3 6x2-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt.
4. In a small bowl, lightly whisk together egg whites.
5. In a large mixing bowl, using a hand held mixer, whip butter and 1 cup sugar until white and smooth.
6. Add yogurt, milk, 1 TBS rosewater and vanilla to the butter mixture and whisk until smooth.
7. In batches, alternate mixing in flour mixture and egg whites into butter mixture until combined. Do not over mix.
8. Gently mix in ¼ cup rose petals.
9. Divide batter evenly into the 3 prepared cake pans and bake until golden, about 35-40 minutes.
10. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before frosting it, about 1-hour.
11. To prepare the frosting, in a medium-sized bowl whisk cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar and 1 TBS rosewater until smooth.
12. In a separate bowl, using a clean mixer, whisk heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed, about 5 minutes.
13. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in ¼ of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
14. Fold in the remaining whipped cream.
15. Place one cake layer onto your serving platter.
16. Place along the edges of the cake strips of parchment paper. This will keep the plate clean while frosting the cake.
17. Place a large scoop of frosting and evenly spread over the top of the cake.
18. Gently place the second layer of cake over the frosting, and frost the top of the second layer of cake.
19. Add the final layer of cake and frost the top and remaining sides of the cake until evenly coated.
20. Decorate the cake with 1 cup rose petals.
21. Slowly remove the parchment paper strips around the bottom layer of the cake.
22. Chill cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

Serving Suggestions: Rose petals are edible. Please make sure that the roses you choose are organic and pesticide-free. You can also add slices of fresh strawberries between the layers of cake.

Cooking Tips: If using regular yogurt, omit the milk and use ½ cup of yogurt.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 539Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 237mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 0gSugar: 32gProtein: 7g

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