Rose Water Cake

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

1

hour 

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes
Total time

2

hours 

10

minutes

This cake is absolutely divine. the flavour is light and floral and makes a wonderful treat. The beauty of this recipe is that the rose water can be substituted with orange blossom water or wonderful vanilla to switch up the flavour. It pairs well with a pistachio filling (see pistachio pudding recipe) and is lovely with or without the frosting. I am not a big lover of frosting, so I prefer the cake to be as is and sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar before serving.

Ingredients

  • Rose Flavoured Cake
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 3 cups granulated sugar

  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature – 2 sticks

  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract

  • 2 tsp rose water

  • 1 cup egg whites (about 7 egg whites)

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature

  • 1/8 cup vegetable oil

  • Rose Water Buttercream Frosting
  • 3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 11 cups powdered sugar

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2 tsp rose water

  • 1/3 cup heavy cream (or whipping cream)

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions

  • Rose Flavoured Cake
  • Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line four 7 inch pans, or three 8 inch round pans with parchment rounds, and grease with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined.
  • Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
  • Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the whole milk in two instalments, on a low speed.
  • Add in vanilla extract, rose water, and oil, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on low speed for about 15 seconds (the key is to mix until the ingredients are JUST incorporated, so that the batter isn’t over mixed).
  • Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for 34-37 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
  • Place cake layers into the freezer for 45 minutes, to accelerate the cooling process. Once the layers are fully cooled, carefully flip the pans and remove the layers from the pans.
  • Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the layers, and then frost as desired.
  • Rose Water Buttercream Frosting
  • While the cake layers bake and cool, make the rose water buttercream frosting.
  • Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment, until smooth.
  • Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.
  • Once fully mixed, add in the vanilla, rose water, and salt, and beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.
  • If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 teaspoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
  • Assemble The Cake
  • Stack and frost cake layers on a grease proof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
  • Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer.
  • Apply a thin coat of frosting around the cake, to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (10 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
  • Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper. or spatula.

Notes

  • Rose water may be substituted with Orange Blossom water or vanilla depending on the flavour you wish to achieve.
  • One batch of cake batter makes about 3 pounds (1.36 kg) of cake, so when making a cake with four layers divide the mixture equally among the pans.
  • Cake layers can be made in advance and stored in the freezer for up to a month. If freezing make sure to properly wrap them in plastic wrap and then tin foil and into a large Ziploc freezer bag.
  • It is important to mix the buttercream on the lowest speed at the end of the process for a couple of minutes, to get out any extra air that has been incorporated during the mixing process.
  • Leftover buttercream can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month in the fridge.

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