To celebrate the birthday of a friend I thought I would surprise her with a homemade cake. I fondly remember rock hard butter cream roses from my childhood birthday cakes and seeing as how I had an excess of coloured sugar pastes leftover from my youngest’s Angry Birds themed birthday cake last week I thought I would experiment and make try making some roses myself.
I started by making a cake recently posted by Dom at Belleau Kitchen. In honour of Mothering Sunday he shared his mother’s lemon cake recipe and as soon as I saw it I thought it would make a perfect birthday cake. I scaled up the ingredients by half, at his suggestion, to make enough batter to fill two seven inch round cake tins. I sandwiched the two layers together with a generous quantity of lemon flavoured butter cream frosting and spread a thin crumb layer around the outside. As you can see, I need to work on my technique of smoothing the outer butter cream layer as the white rolled icing is still a bit bumpy. I’m sure I’ll get better with practise. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
Next came the roses. I found a simple tutorial by Yasmin at The Baking Project which is easy to follow and very effective, I think. The ivory flowers were made using a small flower shaped cutter. I made an indentation in the centre with a pointed modelling tool and painted natural yellow food colouring in the centre with a watercolour brush. The leaves were made freehand and I’m now inspired to invest in some leaf cutters. I sprinkled some edible silver glitter over the top to give a sparkly dew-drop effect. All in all I think it’s pretty effective and not a bad first attempt at making sugar paste roses. The whole decorating process took just over an hour, so it is certainly not a time-consuming process (unlike the Angry Birds cake!).
I’ve decided I’m officially in love with playing with sugar paste!
My friend was absolutely delighted with her cake and we shared some over a girly night in with a film. The cake itself was superb – lovely, light, lemony and with a perfect crumb.
Although this recipe had been bookmarked for only a few hours before I made it, it was still bookmarked so I am adding it to Jacqueline from Tinned Tomatoes’ Bookmarked Recipes #22 round up. I’m keeping the recipe in my bookmarks folder because it’s a fantastic recipe which I will definitely be making again.
Mum of three, daydream adventurer, OU Life Sciences graduate, occasional crafter, ex-pat Canadian & quite possibly Britain's most northerly food blogger.
Heather Haigh says
That is really beautiful. Your Roses are just fabulous.
Tracy Nixon says
This recipe sounds delicious and refreshing! I love lemons! Thank you!
Roger Bufton says
Like the cake, Great with the roses.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Such a beautiful cake Elizabeth. You have some cakey skills. Wish I could produce a cake like that!
ps the Bookmarked Recipes roundup is live. Thanks for adding your cake 🙂
Karen S Booth says
WOW! This is absolutely stunning and such lovely photos too! Gorgeous cake and so professional! Karen
PS: Please email me, Amazing want me to check your address, so I can have the book sent again! K xxx
Elizabeth says
Thank you, I truly appreciate the compliments! 🙂
garydavidlum.com says
Beautiful images
Elizabeth says
Thank you 🙂
Anonymous says
Wow i wish i was getting this for mothers day the roses are amazing x Dom s mum.
Elizabeth says
You have no idea how much your message cheered me up today! I’m glad you saw my cake and that you approve. 😀
Susie @ Fold in the Flour says
Lovely, lovely decoration. Dom’s cake looked so good, but this is really special. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Thank you 🙂 I was quite pleased with how they turned out too.
Jean says
Wow !!!
I also made Dom’s mum’s recipe for my mum-in-law today…..but it now looks rather ordinary compared to yours, which is quite breathtaking !!
Elizabeth says
Aw, thanks! I’m sure yours looked lovely too! it’s a fantastic recipe, isn’t it!
belleau kitchen says
wow… so glad it worked and it looks so beautiful! xx
Elizabeth says
Thank you 🙂 It really is a delicious cake and I’ll be making it again and again! It’s been filed under ‘keeper’!
Joy says
Wow!!!
Elizabeth says
Thank you 🙂