Raspberry, cardomon and rose cake

So, my boss is leaving. It's great news for her as she has chosen to take voluntary early release and no longer commute two hours each way every day. However, she'll be missed as a vibrant, bubbly person who makes the office light and fun. Its the countdown to her departure and her many, many leaving celebrations. So, for today's I chose to make this fantastic red berry, cardomon and rose cake.


My journey towards this creation began with me considering colleagues food intolerances; one has gluten and another dairy. This cake was meant to be flourless, but when I went in search of ground almonds, I drew a blank (I did not search very far or wide). So, I chose a sponge recipe I know well, incorporating cardoman (the gluten intolerant colleague was not going to be in the office).


I also have a full bottle of rose water which is likely to take me the rest of my life to get through and some dried rose buds I have been eager to use since I got them at christmas; inspiration struck and this beautiful cake was born.

What you will need
175g butter
175g sugar
225g self raising flour
1 tea spoon baking powder
1 tea spoon vanilla essence
3 eggs
1/2 tea spoon salt
4 table spoons creme fraiche
10 crushed cardomon seeds
250g raspberries (or mixed berries)


For the icing
250g icing sugar
1 table spoon rose water
35ml Water
A handful of dried roses or rose petals
A handful of sugar  balls or crystals (optional)



Firstly preheat the oven to 180 degrees (or 160 fan). This is a fabulously easy and rewarding cake if treated gently and with care.


Next, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and stir in the flour. Stir through the baking powder, salt, crushed cardomon seeds and vanilla essence, before finally adding the creme fraiche.

Just before ready to bake, carefully fold in the fruit, making sure not to mash or break it up.

Put the mix in a lined or greased springed cake tin and place in the pre-heated oven for 50-60 minutes until cooked through.  When ready, remove from the oven and lay aside.

Whilst the cake is cooling, make the topping. Mix together the icing sugar with the rose water. Slowly add in the water a tea spoon at a time until it forms a glue-like paste.


When the cake has cooled, carefully, take the cake out out the tin. Slowly drizzle the icing over (add a bit more water if it has hardened). After five minutes, sprinkle over the dried roses and sugar crystals or balls.

Present on a wonderful glass or crystal cake stand for everyone to enjoy. I unfortunately had to transport it to work, where it went down a treat with many requests for the recipe. Here you go!