English rose cake
A stunning floral layer cake, flavoured with rosewater and layered up with vanilla cream, raspberry icing and crystallised petals
FOR THE CAKE
350g butter, softened 500g golden caster sugar 6 large eggs 200g full-fat natural yogurt 500g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp rosewater
FOR THE ROSE SYRUP, ICING & CREAM
140g golden caster sugar 1-2 tsp rosewater (depending on your taste) 85g raspberry, defrosted if frozen, plus 100g to decorate 250g icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 300ml double cream rose petal pieces and crystallised rose petals (see step-bystep, right), to decorate
STEP 1
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of three 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tins with baking parchment. Tip all the ingredients for the cake into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until well combined. Divide the mixture between the cake tins and smooth the tops. Bake for 45 mins, swapping the tins halfway through so they cook evenly. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tins, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP 2
To make the rose syrup, put the sugar in a pan with 100ml water and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and bubble for 1-2 mins, then remove from the heat. Add the rose water: start with 1 tsp and taste, as some varieties are much stronger than others – just be careful as the syrup will be really hot. Spoon half the syrup over the 3 sponges and set aside.
STEP 3
Add 2tbsp of the syrup to the raspberries and crush them with a fork. Push the raspberries through a sieve into a bowl and discard the seeds. Sift in the icing sugar and mix to a smooth icing. In a second bowl, add another 2tbsp of the syrup and the vanilla to the cream and whisk until it holds soft peaks. Chill until needed.
STEP 4
To assemble, place one cake, flat-side up, on a plate or cake stand, and top with half the cream and a third of the remaining raspberries. Sandwich another cake on top and add the remaining cream, another third of the raspberries, then the last cake. Smooth the raspberry icing over the top, letting it drizzle down the sides. To decorate, we used a mixture of rose petal pieces (available from cookshops or online), homemade crystallised rose petals and the reserved raspberries.