♥ ROSES CAKE ♥ for 2 gorgeous years

This day 2 years back we said 'I do' and life from then has been a memorable journey. We can't imagine its been 2 years already and sometimes we do feel its been a long time since we've been together. But no matter how we feel we still look back happy, hold hands tightly and look forward to all that is ahead of us. We want to take a moment to thank God for our life and our union, for all the blessings, family and friends that He has blessed us with. Thank You Lord for everything !!!

" I will bless the Lord at all times & His praise 

shall continually be in my mouth" 

Psalms 34:1 (Bible)

Every celebration sure calls for a cake and no doubt I was having a cake in mind and its sure roses for us. We both love roses and this time around to make matters simple I asked him what cake he wants and he chose the cake and the colors (there is a reason behind it, our wedding had a theme and it was red and white) and yea 2 years so 2 layers too. I was worried till the very end of making this cake, mind you I am a pure novice and can hardly hold an icing bag properly. I did practice quite a lot and this cake was sure a big leap for me. But at the end of it I did feel happy looking at this cake. I took 2 days to do this cake in all honesty simply to ease my work. First day was the sponge which to me was a big mystery since it was a red velvet cake, I wasn't sure how the color would be at the end. Although I still have doubts about the color, I feel it complimented the vanilla roses well. I look forward to improve my swirls, but for now this is a perfect cake for our celebration.

Btw how did you like my cake platter??? It is a gift from my Husband :-)

Red Velvet Sponge (No Butter)

Recipe Source ~ here

Ingredients

Cake Flour - 2 and 1/2 cup
Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp or less *refer notes
Salt- a pinch
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 cup *refer notes
Buttermilk - 1 cup *refer notes
Oil - 1 and 1/2 cup (I used refined)
Eggs - 2 large 
Red food color - 1 and 1/2 tbsp (I used liquid color)*refer notes
Vanilla extract - 1 tbsp
White Vinegar - 1 tbsp

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 350 F/ 180 C and line two 8" inch cake tins grease them and line with parchment paper at the base, set aside
• Sift cake flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, sugar 3-4 times until well mixed, set aside
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, buttermilk, oil, red food color, vanilla extract, vinegar until well combined for 3 minutes.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet in 3-4 additions and mix well, whisk together for 2 minutes.
• Pour the batter in the two pans, tap on counter top to release air bubbles and set in the middle of the oven to bake for 20-25 mins until a skewer inserted in center comes out clean.
• Once done let it cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes and flip it on the other side, now remove the parchment paper and let it cool down completely.
• Once it is completely cooled down wrap in cling film and set in refrigerator to be decorated later ( I had done this the previous day to frosting the cake)

Buttercream Frosting

You will need a large piping bag & rosette icing tip
Ingredients

1 and 1/4 cup unsalted butter, in room temperature
4 C icing sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4-5 tbsp milk

Method

In a large mixing bowl on high, beat butter for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar little by little (3 times per cup) until well combined beating for 3 minutes between every addition. Add the vanilla, salt and beat for 3 minutes until combined  Now add the milk as required to make the frosting spreadable/ easy to pipe roses. Fill the frosting in a piping bag with the Wilton 1 M tip intact and squish out to release air and keep aside.

Check this video on how to pipe roses HERE

Assembly 

Place the first layer on sponge and add a big dollop of the frosting on top and using a spatula level the frosting , now place the second layer of came and repeat the frosting. Fill the sides also with frosting. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set. Take the cake out and start swirling roses. Press a star and  cut it with a swirl, follow the same method and alternate swirls to form a pattern. When roses are large you will find gaps/ dead space, make a swoop with your tip. Dot the gaps with frosting or simply curl in the remaining gaps for a more neat effect.

Cooks Wisdom

- Few helpful videos to pipe roses -> HERE and HERE
- I did the sponge layers one day ahead, covered with cling film and refrigerated to be iced later. This helps in letting the frosting set well.
- Make sure you have enough frosting! Those roses take up lots of frosting. 
-  Buttercream does tend to give pretty and sharper roses, hence I used it.
- To make cake flour at home for every 1 cup of all purpose flour, remove 1 tbsp of it and replace with cornflour.
- To make buttermilk at home for 1 cup of cold milk add 1 tbsp of distilled vinegar, mix well and set aside for 5-10 minutes the milk would curdle and use as required
-  Original recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 cup sugar i used only 1 cup since the frosting was sweet, adjust according to sweet tooth
-  Original recipe calls for 3 tbsp of cocoa powder hence a deep red cake, you can add less for a lighter color
- Food color I had used is liquid based, I got it from here. Take care while using red color it can catch stains in fingers

Rosette cake recipe is an inspiration from I am Baker.