I used to avoid recipes that required yeast—me and rising dough felt like Superman and kryptonite. For years I was intimidated by any instruction to let something rise, until friends urged me to approach it calmly. I finally took their advice on Mother’s Day a few weeks ago. My mother adores roses and fills the garden with pink, red, yellow and white blooms. We love each other, even if our conversations often turn into little arguments. A rose cake felt like the perfect gift for her.
Rose cake
Author: Giulia
Ingredients
- White flour, 250 g
- Strong (bread) flour, 250 g
- Brewer’s yeast, 25 g
- Caster sugar, 100 g
- Eggs, 2
- Butter, 80 g (plus 50 g for the filling)
- Warm milk, 125–150 ml
- Vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon
- Salt, 1 tablespoon
- Zest of 1 lemon
For the filling
- Butter, 50 g
- Caster sugar, 100 g
- Hazelnuts, 100 g, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Put both flours in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
- Add the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, eggs, lemon zest and melted butter. Gradually mix everything together.
- Warm the milk slightly, dissolve the yeast in it, then add the milk-yeast mixture gradually to the dough.
- Knead for at least 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place for at least 1½ hours, until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, prepare the filling: whip the butter with the sugar and fold in the roughly chopped hazelnuts.
- When the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it into a rectangle about 35 x 50 cm. Use a rolling pin and a little flour to keep the sheet even.
- Spread the hazelnut filling evenly over the dough sheet.
- Roll the sheet up along the long side to form a log.
- Cut the roll into equal-sized cylinders.
- Line a round springform pan with parchment paper. Arrange the little rolls upright in the pan, leaving a little space between them for a final rise.
- Cover and let the arranged rolls rise for about 30 minutes until slightly puffed.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Bake the cake for approximately 30 minutes, until the tops are golden and cooked through.
- Allow the cake to cool. It is delicious at room temperature, but a warm slice straight from the oven is irresistible.
Notes: Don’t be afraid of the rising stages. My dough rose beautifully—soft, fragrant and doubled—despite my nervousness. The finished rose cake is tender, nutty and comforting, perfect for a special occasion like Mother’s Day or any time you want a homemade treat that looks as lovely as it tastes.