Today marks 15 years since my mother’s celebration of life, and with a new season approaching, it feels natural (quite literally) to share a cake recipe in her honour (preserved from a cherished classic).
There is a certain kind of beauty in the things we choose to keep. Flowers saved from one season, a recipe developed in another, and the memories that continue to fall into both. I like to think of this recipe as a continuation of all of those things.
With that I decided to take the soft elements of my Classic Vanilla Cake and elevate them with dried strawflowers and wafer paper petals that I had previously kept for my daughter’ Spring themed birthday celebration. From one Equinox to the next (and the Solstice in between) this truly feels like a full-circle moment.
Before I share this recipe, let’s get into some flower facts…
While most flowers are thought to be reserved for Spring and Summer, many can still be preserved in Autumn (and Winter). Xerochrysum bracteatum, commonly known as strawflowers, thrive in intense Summer heat, and often continue to blossom until the first hard frost. However, when harvested just before fully opening, the blooms dry beautifully and can last for months (or even years) while retaining their bright, bold colours. This is one of the many reasons I love working with strawflowers. Not to mention they are low-maintenance, exceptionally simple to dry, and are the perfect flower for crafting and/or decorating with.
Moving on to the wafer paper petals, you may be wondering what exactly they are. Very simply put, they are faux flower petals made from wafer paper and often used in dessert decor. Where to find them? I order mine from Etsy, but you can purchase them from many other dessert decor / craft supply stores.
Please note, while wafer paper petals are edible, strawflowers are not, but it’s only due to their texture (they’re still safe for decorating).
Now that the floral details are covered, let’s get to the cake (and of course the buttercream)…
Ingredients:
For the cake:
For the buttercream:
Directions:
Reserve approximately 2 weeks of time to dry your strawflowers (or other flowers or choice that are safe for decorating). For tips on how to do this correctly, view my post on How to Turn Summer Flowers into Dried Autumn Bouquet(s). Alternatively, you may skip this step and just use wafer paper petals.
If using (straw)flowers, select desired blooms from your dried bouquet and clip off each stem. Mix and match with wafer paper petals of choice (optional). Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°
Cream softened butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Mix in eggs, one at a time.
Measure cream (or milk). Then add 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (optional). Stir and let sit for 5 mins. This is to mimic buttermilk for a more tender cake. You can also use buttermilk instead of the lemon and cream if you have it or prefer it.
Add in cream (or milk), followed by vanilla. Mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift 2 levelled cups of flour, then add baking powder and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined, then add to liquid ingredients. Continue mixing until batter is smooth.
Pour batter into two medium greased cake pans, filling just under halfway. If you’re wanting a single cake layer, just use a slightly larger cake pan instead.
Bake for 30 mins (or until knife comes out clean).
Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 mins, then transfer to cooling rack until cake reaches room temp.
Place cake in a tin or on a plate, then refrigerate for at least half an hour before frosting.
Note: If you don’t plan to frost until the next day, you can leave it in the fridge until you do. You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months before and/or after frosting if you’re wanting to prep way ahead of time. Once done, this cake can stay in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for 2 months.
While cake is in the fridge, prepare buttercream by whisking softened butter and salt together on low speed until well combined.
Sift in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, up to 5 cups. Whisk until it resembles a thick batter.
Add in cream 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency. If you don’t have cream, milk will suffice.
Add in vanilla extract and continue whisking until light and fluffy (about 5 mins).
If you want a thicker buttercream, sift in more powdered sugar, starting at 1/4 cup at a time up to desired taste / consistency.
Add food colouring of choice (optional). I went in with a few drops of natural red by Color Garden to create a soft pink.
Once cake has cooled, cut and shape (optional). I prefer to do this, because it makes for a “cleaner” looking cake, but it’s not entirely necessary.
Top cake with buttercream and smooth to desired look.
Decorate with wafer paper petals and/or (straw)flowers. If using both, I suggest going in with the wafer paper petals first for an easier assembly. Also, if wafer paper has trouble sticking, you can very lightly dampen them with room temp. water and gently press them into place.
Once all the finishing touches are in place, slice and serve!
From one season to the next, I hope this recipe brings you something beautiful to savour along the way. ♡
For more visuals, catch the latest on my IG @haveyour.c.a.k.e
Xoxo