Rose Petal Mother’s Day Cake

What’s better than a bouquet of flowers on Mother’s Day? A delicious cake covered in crystallised rose petals! Image Interiors & Living‘s Lesley Tumulty has created a show-stopping cake that is a bit of a step up from the mud pies you might have made your mum in years gone by. Enjoy!

Mother’s Day Persian Love Cake (serves 8)

Ingredients:

Crystallised rose petals

1 large egg white

100g caster sugar

Petals from two organic roses.

Cake:

150g plain flour

250g caster sugar, divided

1 – tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 large eggs separated

100ml water,

60ml vegetable oil

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp whole cardamom seeds removed from about five green cardamom pods, crushed

Icing:

350 ml chilled double cream, divided

Pinch of saffron threads.

70g icing sugar, sieved

1 tsp rosewater

2 tbs natural unsalted pistachio nuts

Method:
To crystallize the rose petals, whisk egg whites in a small bowl until foamy. Using pastry brush, brush rose petals on both sides with beaten egg whites, sprinkle on both sides with sugar. Dry a non-stick parchment at least six hours or overnight. I actually left them in my oven overnight with just the fan on.

Cake:
Preheat oven to 180c, butter 2 x 20cm diameter cake pans with 4cm high sides. Line pan bottoms with buttered parchment paper. Sift flour, 100g caster sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Whisk yolks and next four ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and add yolk mixture to dry ingredients, whisk until smooth. Beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining caster sugar, beat until whites resemble thick marshmallow fluff. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Divide batter between prepared pans, bake until cakes are golden and tester inserted into centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans on racks for 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks, peel off parchment, and cool completely. Can be prepared one day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.

Icing:
Combine 100ml? cream and saffron in small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat, let steep for 20 minutes. Chill until cold. Beat remaining 250ml cream, icing sugar, and rosewater in a large bowl until soft peaks form, strain in saffron cream. Again, beat until peaks form.Place one cake layer, flat side up, on a platter. Spread 1 /3 icing over. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Chill for at least one hour and up to six hours. Garnish cake with rose petals and pistachios.

@image_interiors

Food styling: Marlene Wessels | Recipe: Lesley Tumulty | Photography: Nathalie Marquez Courtney