Rosewater Raspberry Tea Cake

When Marie and I put together our Valentine Tea last week, we decided on a Rose theme.

We decorated with Roses, and added Rose Water to our scones and cake recipes.

She made the scones, and I made the cake.  The icing for both was shared between us.

It all came out delicious.  Here is the link for her wonderful scones.  You will love trying them out as well.  Click the Valentine Tea Link above to visit our tea party.

The secret ingredient.  

Adding  Rosewater to the icing and whipped cream is the beautiful key to this recipe;

Just enough to bring the subtle  flavor of roses in each bite.

Place yogurt and softened butter, sugar, 2 tablespoons raspberry jam and vanilla in a mixing bowl.

Cream together with an electric mixer until well blended.

 Add dry ingredients and mix until well blended.

Add four eggs one at a time; mixing after each.

 Pour batter into 3  6 inch greased baking pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 1 hour.

Allow to cool, then slice the top off of the cakes with a long knife to create an even top.

You can use the tops for another recipe (perhaps a trifle or  a bread pudding; or give them to the little ones for a treat).    Slice the cakes through the middle from side to side of the cake to create two layers per cake.  You will need 2 of these cakes, for this recipe creating 4 layers all together.   We used the extra cake for a delightful birthday cake for a friend.

Place first layer on a cake plate.  Spread with raspberry jam, and then a dollop of  Rosewater Whipped Cream.  Add rinsed and dried rose petals.

 Repeat the layers;

 ending with whipped cream.

Drizzle Rosewater icing over  the whipped cream.

Back and forth….

..until all is well covered and dripping down the sides.

Decorate with roses.

Enjoy!

Moist, floral, fruity delicious, heavenly delightful

  After our tea party, we enjoyed this cake for several days.
 I think it got even better as each day went by.


Rose Water
 can be found in specialty grocery stores and import stores such as World Market, and possibly Whole foods Market.   We got ours at A.J.'s gourmet grocery store.

Rosewater Tea Cake 

Cake:
Ingredients:
2  5 and 1/2 ounce containers Raspberry Greek Yogurt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar ( I used unbleached, organic sugar this time around)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 Tablespoon raspberry jam
3 cups unbleached, organic flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt or real salt
4 eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl.
3. Mix with electric mixer until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients.
5. Add dry ingredients to moist ingredients.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
7. Pour batter into 3 greased 6 inch cake pans.
8. Bake approximately 1 hour; test with a knife or tooth pick for doneness.
9. Allow to cool.  
10. Slice top off of cake.
11. Slice cake through the middle from the side to create two layers in your cake.
12. Place first slice on a cake plate.
13. Spread with raspberry jam
14. Top with Rose Water Whipped Cream: See below
15. Place 4 rose petals on top of whipped cream.
16. Repeat layers until you have used up 2 cakes.
17. End with whipped cream
18. Drizzle with Rosewater icing: See Below
19. Decorate with Roses
20. Store in refrigerator

For the Filling:
Raspberry Jam (seedless is preferable)
Rose Water Whipped Cream
Rose Petals; prepare ahead, by rinsing and drying them.

Rose Water Whipped Cream:
Ingredients:
1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Tablespoons sugar or powdered sugar (unbleached, organic)
1 tsp Rose water

Instructions:

1. Whip heavy cream in a bowl with electric mixer, until cream begins to set.
2. Add Rosewater and sugar.
3. Whip unit soft peaks form.

Icing:
Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar (unbleached, organic)
1/2 tsp Rosewater
1 tsp lemon juice
1 - 2 Tablespoons water
Natural Food Coloring: for this we used a powdered natural berry drink and added a little to the icing.  It gave a perfect light pink color, and enhanced the raspberry flavor.  (When we made our second cake , we added more of this mix and got a deeper color and flavor.)

Instructions:

1. Mix powdered sugar with Rosewater and enough cream to make a drizzly icing.
2. Mix together vigorously. 
3. Drizzle over cake

Happy Valentines Baking Everyone!