Weekend Recipe: Chetna Makan’s Rose and Honey Cake

Rose and honey cake
Gulkand is a rose petal preserve that, in India, is served with betel leaves in paan, a spicy after-dinner mouth freshener that also aids digestion. This cake takes inspiration from that delicious combination. I love the way the aniseed kick of fennel balances the rosewater and adds subtlety to its flavour. The fennel seeds and dried rose petals give a nice bit of crunch to the layers of creamy icing and dense honey-and-almond cake.

Serves 10–12
100g (31/2oz) golden caster sugar
100g (31/2oz) clear honey
100g (31/2oz) self-raising flour
100g (31/2oz) ground almonds
200g (7oz) unsalted butter,
softened, plus extra for greasing
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon rosewater

For the rose mix
20g (3/4oz) dried Indian rose petals
1 tablespoon dry-roasted
fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
4 tablespoons caster sugar

For the icing
300ml (1/2 pint) double cream
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon dry-roasted fennel
seeds, lightly crushed

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350ºF), Gas Mark 4. Grease 2 x 20cm (8in)
cake tins and line them with nonstick baking paper.

In a large bowl, mix all the cake ingredients with an electric whisk for
2 minutes until light and creamy. Pour the batter equally into the prepared
tins and bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of
the cakes comes out clean. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes,
then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

To make the rose mix, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and
cook over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously. Take the pan
off the heat as soon as the sugar starts to melt. Give it a good stir and set
aside to cool.

To make the icing, whisk the cream and sugar together in a bowl until soft
peaks form. Fold in the fennel seeds.
To assemble, place 1 cake on a serving plate and spread half the icing over
it. Sprinkle with half the rose mix. Place the second cake on top. Spread the
remaining icing over this layer and finish by sprinkling over the last of the
rose mix. This cake will keep, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up
to 4 days. Leave it to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe taken from The Cardamom Trail by Chetna Makan, available here