Vanilla Rose Cake

Here we have a guest recipe from  the person regular readers would know as the Other Half. This was her cake for this months Clandestine Cake meeting.














Vanilla Sponge Cake

Ingredients
225g unsalted butter, at room temp.
225g caster sugar.
210g self raising flour, sifted.
25g cornflour.
1 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract.
3 tbsps semi-skimmed milk, at room temp.

Method 
 Preheat the oven to 160 degrees, line a cake tin with greaseproof paper.
 Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is pale and smooth, this should take 3 - 5 minutes.
 Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
 Add the eggs to the creamed mixture, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition, alternating with the dry ingredients, and finally add the vanilla extract and the milk.
 Beat well after each addition but do not over beat.
 Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until raised and golden brown.
 Insert a skewer in the centre, it will come out clean if cooked.
 Once they are cool decorate with buttercream icing.

Buttercream icing

Ingredients 
 115g unsalted butter, at room temp.
 4 tbsp semi skimmed milk, at room temp.
 1 tsp vanilla extract.
 500g icing sugar, sifted.
 Pink food colouring.

Method
In large mixing bowl beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and half the icing sugar until smooth using an electric hand mixer.
Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
To colour, simply beat in a tiny drop of pink food colouring.

Rose petals

Ingredient
1egg White
Enough roses petals as required

Method
Take the egg whites and whisk lightly to break them up.
Pull apart petals from a pesticide-free (organic) rose. Choose petals free of blemishes or bend marks.
With a small, fine brush, take a little bit of the egg white mixture and evenly apply over the entire surface of the petal, starting from the centre out.
Sprinkle sugar evenly over the petal and place on drying racks until completely dried. They will be hard. If the petals are small and if the drying racks are spaced too far apart, place on paper towels to dry.
When finished, transfer to an airtight container until used. Properly stored, they should keep for a couple of weeks.