Rose Cupcakes

The birthday season continues and this time I decided to make rose cupcakes with a rose buttercream icing.  The recipe is from 'Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery' and turned out very well but perhaps a little too sweet.  I bought a Molton Brown rose granati gift set for my friend's birthday so I thought I'd theme it around roses. As it turned out, our other friend bought gifts in the same theme! What a lovely coincidence :)

The cupcakes are essentially a plain vanilla sponge with a hint of rosewater. I put a lot more than suggested which is perhaps why it was a little too sweet? It smelled great though.

lovely batter ready to go in the oven

pink and girly :)

added heart sprinkles just for the birthday girl

Presents! See what I mean about the theme? We didn't even talk about it beforehand. Clearly great minds think alike :)

Happy Birthday Roselle!!

Rose cupcakes

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

225g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

150g self-raising flour, sifted

125g plain flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon good quality rosewater, or to taste

120ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

Rose buttercream icing

115g unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

500g icing sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon good-quality rosewater, or to taste

pink food colouring (optional)

• 
  
  Preheat the oven to 160C
• 
  
  In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until mixture is pale and smooth.
• 
  
  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• 
  
  Combine the two flours in a separate bowl.
• 
  
  Mix a little of the rosewater with the milk in a jug and test it: rosewater varies in quality and strength, so taste the mixture and adjust the amount you add accordingly.
• 
  
  Add one-third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well.
• 
  
  Pour in one-third of the milk and beat again.
• 
  
  Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.
• 
  
  Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about 2/3 full.
• 
  
  Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until slightly raised and golden brown.
• 
  
  Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 mins before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool.

To make the icing

• 
  
  In a large bowl, beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and half the icing sugar until smooth. This can take several minutes.
• 
  
  Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
• 
  
  Add the rosewater at the very end and beat thoroughly, tasting to check if it is scented enough.
• 
  
  To colour, simply beat in a tiny drop of pink food colouring.