Summer brings a lot of pretty flowers around us but my favorite flower to grow is the Rose. It is not just any flower but a herb used in beauty, culinary and medicine world. The International herb association has declared rose, as the herb of year 2012.
While checking out my few rose plants each day, all I could think about was to bake these elegant cupcakes.
These are really easy to make and taste amazing. My daughter was smitten at first bite when I first made them last summer and since then I have already made it twice. The cupcakes are made with a mix of almond meal and gf flour with a hint of rose flavor. The icing is also delicately scented with rose syrup, you can even use rose water. They are not overly sweet and the rose aroma is quite pleasant for a summer teatime treat, but this doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy in fall or winter. It can be a great cupcake anytime of the year.
Rose water is getting so popular with the Chefs these days that it needs no introduction. However, it is a more common food ingredient in Indian, Persian and Middle eastern cuisine. Enjoying a rose water or syrup flavored baked good or sweet lassi or a sweet potato kheer speckled with rose petals or candy roses is just like passing a fragrant rose bush. Yes, they have the same sweet smell as the roses.
There are many other wonderful uses for rose water. Don’t be surprised if I say that I use it to hydrate my face. I have provided some links at the bottom of the post for your convenience.
If you have a rose bush in your garden you know they are at their peak stage of blooming. Before moving on to recipe, I like to share some pictures of my rose plants.
ALMOND CUPCAKES WITH ROSE FLAVOR ( makes 6)
adapted from: Tesco magazine
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (62 gm) almond meal
1/2 gluten free all purpose flour (white rice flour mix)
1/4 cup (57 g) butter
2 eggs
87.5 gm white granulated sugar
1/4 tsp rose syrup or rose water (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp baking powder
Whipped cream icing and decoration
125 ml whipping cream, cold
1 tbsp icing sugar
1.5 tsp rose water or or rose syrup
tiny bit pink color
crystallized rose petals or icing roses from Wilton*
* these roses have maltodextrin which is not derived from wheat and posted on their site to be safe.
Method:
Line a muffin tin with 6 cupcake paper liner. Preheat oven to 350° F.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and rose syrup.
In a separate bowl whisk together almond meal, rice flour mix and baking powder.
With the mixer on low speed add flour to the butter and egg mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Divide the mixture between cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes or until firm to touch. Do not over bake or the cupcake will be dry. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, decorate with icing and rose buds.
ICING:
In an electric mixer or with a hand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the cream at low speed and gradually increase the speed to high until soft peaks form.
Add rosewater and icing sugar and whip until the mixture just holds its shape.
Taste the whipped cream and add more rose syrup or rose water if you’d like a stronger taste.
Add pink food coloring to give it a rose color.
Decorate each cupcake with a spoonful of whipped cream and icing roses.
Malti
I like the sound of rose water cupcake:) can’t wait to try it soon. and you have lovely rose bushes.
Spice up the Curry
Thanks for visiting my site.. your almond cupcakes looks excellent.
Swathi Iyer
Beautiful cupcakes Neetu, love the smell of rose water in the dessert. You have a nice rose garden. Mine dead, I need to plant some.
Balvinder Ubi
I don’t think Roses die but they start blooming less if not taken care of.
Swathi Iyer
I will try cutting and see.
No problem for linking the meat recipe to Hearth and soul Blog hop
Suzi
These cupcakes sound delightful. I love the photos of your beautiful roses Balvinder. I only have one red rose bush that I grow in a large pot. Sometimes there are up to 11 blossoms at one time. Thanks for sharing those links I am going to check them out. Have a wonderful day.
Vicki Bensinger
These sound delicious and are so pretty. I had no idea they’ve declared the rose to be an herb. Thank you for sharing that with me.
Such a lovely recipe, I will be sure to try it. I agree adding the whipping cream sounds nicer than just rose water and sugar. By the way I do put rose water on my face and neroli water as well.
Balvinder Ubi
Yeah, with rose water and sugar I felt I was eating only sugar on top. Whipping cream came out together so well with the cupcakes.
yummychunklet
These sound delightful, especially with the almond!
mireia badia
mm love the almond cupcake with the topping, delicious!!!
Alida
these beautiful creations make me dream. They look so lovely and their taste must be so delicate. Well done!!
Maureen @ Orgasmic Chef
I love rose water too but I’ve never used it in cupcakes, only in Middle Eastern recipes. I want to make these – they look lovely!
Amelia
Hi Balvinder, your cupcake is so cute and pretty. Love the little rose on top the cupcake.
Thanks for sharing your gorgeous roses from your garden. All the roses are so lovely and you got nice collection of different color. 🙂
Have a nice day.Regards
Medeja
I like the cupcakes, but rose icing I would skip or I would make almond icing:D
Balvinder Ubi
Yes,You can do that. Everyone does not like its smell and taste.
Guru Uru
My friend these cupcakes truly are beautiful – I love their colour and gorgeous frosting 🙂
Rose is such an up and coming ingredient and I am glad you are getting into it 🙂
Also your roses are progressing beautifully 🙂
Cheers
CCU
Balvinder Ubi
I had always used it. Roses grow nice if they are cared.
Shobha
Such a lovely presentation of equally delicious cup cakes…Reading the recipe itself I can get the fragrance of the beautiful roses…my favourite flowers !
Balvinder Ubi
Thanks for sharing your love for roses with me.
Shirley Tay
My dear lady, love those rose infused cupcakes! So beautifully made & well scented. Won’t u send me some?? Hahaha!
Balvinder Ubi
I am sure I can.
anne
A rose by any other name ? An herb ?! Cool ! 😀 Very pretty and delicious cupcakes ! And your roses just as lovely as those cupcakes !
Nish
Beautiful cupcakes! I’ve never tried making desserts with rosewater but think I may have to now! Sounds wonderful!
Indulge
Loved your garden and the cupcakes. Both look so elegant. I also love the tube red roses. I have limited space, so have only one rose plant now, but dream of having my own rose garden someday!!
Love Ash.
Balvinder Ubi
Wish your dream come true!
Navaneetham Krishnan
Beautiful roses and they are growing so great. I too grow roses in my garden. Mine is mostly the red ones, my fav among the rest of the colors. I bought a bottle of the rose water but its still sitting in my pantry for a long time. Its about the moment I bring it out and make such beautiful cupcakes. Great finishing esp the with the icing roses.
Balvinder Ubi
I like all colors but yes the favorite is dark red (blackish kind, which I don’t have.
Jay
lipsmacking it is…drooling..:)
Tasty Appetite
Swetha
hey balvinder
Your cupcakes looks lovely, and interesting to see rose flavor. Good collection of recipes you have here. 🙂
Do stop by my site! – http://foodoverip.blogspot.in/
Kitchen Belleicious
how beautiful and they look delicious. what a wonderful way to celebrate a beautiful flower
LinsFood
I’m usually not a fan of almonds but I don’t mind them in cakes. I love cooking with roses! Your presentation is lovely, it all comes together so well!
Balvinder Ubi
Almond flour do not taste of almonds in baked goods. It gives a nice texture which you will like it.
Juliana
This cupcakes look great…love almond and the combination with rose water must be delicious…such a delicate icing.
Have a wonderful week Balvinder 🙂
Dara Reppucci
Your roses are so beautiful!!! I love cooking with almond meal, these cupcakes look so delish.
Cucina49
Your roses are really lovely. What gorgeous cupcakes–I’m intrigued by how they must smell!
Spicie Foodie
Yummy and so pretty. I love the almond and rose combination. Never tried it but sounds really good. Thanks for sharing:)
Tiffany
Those are SO beautiful!
cookingvarieties
hi balvinder. i love roses, your garden blooms an envy.. i think your kind of weather is more suitable than mine. i love to eat rose buds with honey as part of my breakfast menu… 3 buds a day.
great idea for cup cakes-thanks and have a nice day
Baker Street
These cupcakes look so pretty Neetu! Love the color!! 🙂
Nami | Just One Cookbook
Rose scented icing? That’s brilliant idea! Very elegant looking cupcakes and so pretty!
Claudia
These delights are pure summer goodness. I love almond in baked goods and rose scented cream is inspired. Plus they are just beautiful to look at.