Treat your taste buds to the delightful combination of flavors in our Raspberry Rose Cake. This elegant dessert harmoniously marries the zingy essence of fresh raspberries with the gentle touch of rosewater.
I’ve been wanting to make this cake for such a long time. Sometimes, when it comes to recipes, I get an idea in my head and then I can’t stop thinking about it until I’ve made it. This was one of those cakes. And I am super excited to be sharing it with you!
If you have never eaten a rose petal before, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the flavor! It’s not bitter but it is delicately rose-flavored and soft. The mix of fresh rose petals and rose water set this cake off to a new level. It’s floral but not overpowering.
The process of crystallizing rose petals is extremely straightforward. The petals are coated with a light layer of egg wash and then sprinkled with sugar. Once fully dried (about 24 hours), you are left with a beautifully crisp petal, which looks slightly frozen and sparkly, that will keep in an airtight container for up to a year. This is a great way to decorate a cake if you aren’t up for doing any fancy piping work, or want something impressive without too much fussing.
This sponge recipe is one of my favorites. There’s a little less flour than normal, which results in a beautifully moist sponge. The frosting for this cake is also a light buttercream, with a light hint of rose water!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Light Flavors. This dainty cake has light floral flavors that appeal to everyone.
- Perfect for Celebrations. Serve this cake for Mother’s Day, Baby Showers, Engagement parties, or any celebration.
How to Make Raspberry Rose Cake
This cute 2-layer cake is a fun weekend baking project. You can find the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Key Ingredients
- Butter. Use cold, unsalted butter.
- Granulated Sugar. Is preferred to create a great cake crumb and provide structure for the cake.
- All-Purpose Flour. This flour is used to make a light cake.
- Eggs. Always use room-temperature eggs for the best baking results.
- Rose Water. Can be purchased at most grocery stores or online.
- Milk. Whole milk works best in this recipe.
- Raspberry Jam. Use your favorite raspberry jam.
- Powdered Sugar. It is the best sugar to use for making buttercream.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Rose Petals. Brush the rose petals with watered-down egg whites and then sprinkle with sugar. Let it dry on a baking sheet.
2. Make the Cake. Combine the cake ingredients and pour the cake batter into two cake pans.
3. Bake the Cake. Bake the cake until a skewer comes out clean. Once baked, allow the cake to cool in the cake pan for a while before placing it on a cooling rack.
4. Make the Buttercream. Mix the butter on a high speed then add the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Add the milk and rose water and beat on a high speed.
5. Decorate the Cake. Pipe a ring of the buttercream around the outside of a cooled layer of cake and pour warm jam inside. Place the other cake on top and coat the whole cake with a very thin layer of buttercream, refrigerate for a few minutes, and then finish decorating the cake.
Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Use any jam you prefer. Strawberry jam, mixed berry jam, or lemon curd, could work great as a filling in this cake.
- Have fun with the decorations. Instead of decorating with rose petals, you can use fresh fruit.
Make-Ahead & Storage Recommendations
Any rose petals not used on the cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to a year. Store the leftover cake in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days. This cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Unthaw the cake at room temperature.
Try These Other Cake Recipes
- Vanilla and Berry Layer Cake – This four-layer cake is covered in a delicious vegan buttercream frosting and decorated with flowers.
- Cupcakes with Fresh Cream, Strawberries and Balsamic Vinegar Glaze – These cupcakes are the perfect fusion of sweet and tangy.
- Lime and Lychee Bundt Cake – Lime and lychee go together perfectly in this bundt cake. It’s moist and full of tropical flavor.
- Chocolate Praline Cake – An impressive cake with a chocolate sponge covered in buttercream and crunchy praline.
Raspberry Rose Cake
Equipment
- 1 baking tray
- 1 paintbrush (used for food only) small
- 2 cake pans 2.8"
- 1 stand mixer
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups flour all purpose
- salt a pinch
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. rose water
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 230 ml milk whole
For the Filling and Frosting
- 5 tbsp. raspberry jam
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups sugar icing
- 1 tbsp. whole milk
- 1 tbsp. rose water
For the Decoration
- 1 egg white plus a little water
- granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- First make the rose petals. Please note they take 24 hours to dry, so start the day before you want to display the cake. In a small ramekin, mix together the egg white and a tsp of water. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Pick the petals off the rose and wash them in water, then blot dry with a paper towel. Using a small paintbrush that is only used for food, paint the rose petal on both sides with a light coating of egg wash. Sprinkle with granulated sugar on both sides and shake off any excess. Leave to dry on the parchment paper. Repeat for as many rose petals as you wish to use.
- Preheat the oven to 338⁰F (170⁰C). Cream together the butter and sugar in a freestanding mixture until fully combined and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one and scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Beat for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is smooth.
- In another bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder, and mix until evenly distributed.
- Add the flour to the egg mixture in 3 separate parts. In another jug mix together the milk and the vanilla extract, then add to the mixture, beating on a slow speed. Add the rose water last and mix just until combined.
- Line two 8-inch cake pans and spoon the mixture evenly into both. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Once done allow to cool in the cake pan for at least 45 mins to an hour, then turn out the cake onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, make the buttercream. In the stand mixer, mix the butter on high speed for 5 minutes. Then add the powdered sugar in 3 separate parts and mix on a slow speed until fully incorporated. Add the milk and rose water and beat again on high speed for a further 5 minutes.
- Once the cakes have cooled, turn one half onto a serving plate and pipe a ring of the buttercream around the outside. This will keep the jam inside! Warm the jam either in a small saucepan, or in the microwave for 20 seconds to make it just slightly more runny. Then pour on top of the bottom layer of the cake inside the buttercream piping. Place the other cake on top and coat the whole cake with a very thin layer of buttercream. This is called crumb coating and will make frosting the rest of the cake a lot easier. Place the cake in the fridge for about 15 minutes to let the first coat dry slightly.
- Once 15 minutes has passed, take the cake out of the fridge and continue to ice the cake. Use as much of the buttercream as you like depending on how thick you like the frosting. Garnish with the rose petals and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Images by Lauren Caris Short.
