Hello, darlings!
Hip, hip, hurray, it’s National Tea Day! (Sunday 21st April 2019).
In celebration of this totally “tea-tastic” day, I present Mrs Beeton’s Rose & Lime Saucer Cake. This bloomin’ marvellous creation oozes the delightful aroma of pink-dainty roses, that grow tightly gripped around the grand stone entrance of a quaint countryside abode – a picture-postcard image springs to mind!
Now before I proceed any further, I must admit, I haven’t the foggiest idea how or why this recipe commenced its culinary journey as a “Saucer Cake” – if you possess an inkling of a clue, please do let me know.
This frightfully British recipe, which I discovered in my 1906 edition of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, has been recreated with a touch of pizazz. You see, at first glance, I deemed Mrs Beeton’s recipe quite bland and boring – only flour, sugar, butter, eggs, with a bit of candid peel thrown in.
Also, Mrs Beeton’s original Saucer Cake recipe calls for a mixture of plain flour and cornflour. Unfortunately, the cornflour made my 21st-century version extremely delicate and crumbly – to avoid this sufferance, I recommend using plain flour (all-purpose flour) only.
So, in keeping with my rose and lime theme for National Tea Day, I revived Mrs Beeton’s recipe with the added extras of rose water, crushed dried rose petals and lime zest. Please note: on the day of creation Miss Windsor was clean out of limes, so alternatively one used lemon zest.
Darlings, I must say, this cake is just perfect for those who wish to indulge in a luxurious, aromatic, and tangy spot of afternoon tea.
Now, if you haven’t already twigged, today is all about TEA, “You don’t say, Miss Windsor!” Therefore, in the spirit of this splendid celebration, and to accompany this delightful cake, I highly recommend an exquisite blend of fragrant tea – Miles Lavender Limeflower & Rose Tea.
And for those who have not stumbled across this superior brand until now, “Miles” is a highly acclaimed purveyor of fine tea and coffee from Porlock, Somerset, and is known by the grand title of Miles Tea & Coffee.
Darlings, there’s very little more to say about this divine baked goodie, except it’s exceedingly scrumptious and will arouse one’s senses with its delightful medley of tang, feminine flavour, and fragrance…….
Without further ado, please dash off to your kitchen, mixing bowl and wooden spoon at the ready, and have a blimmin’ good go at recreating another slice of food history!
And don’t forget to enjoy each slice with a cup or two of Miles Lavender Limeflower & Rose Tea, or any fine blend of rose tea will do the trick – to be, of course, supped from an English bone china cup and saucer.
Darlings, please do take a quick peek at my review of MILES LAVENDER LIMEFLOWER & ROSE TEA KITES.
Miss Windsor x
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY MISS WINDSOR
Mrs Beeton’s Rose & Lime Saucer Cake!
Ingredients
- 120g (1 cup) plain flour
- 120g (1 cup) cornflour
- 4 teaspoons of baking powder
- 120g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 125g (¾ cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- zest of 2 limes
- 2 well-whisked eggs
- 2 tablespoons of rose water
- a generous handful of crushed dried rose petals
- 125ml (4 US fl oz.) milk
- a generous handful of crushed dried rose petals – for decoration
Rose Buttercream Icing
- 125g (½ cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- 300g (3 cups) icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of rose water (add a trifle more if you desire)
- a tiny drop of pink food colouring
- a generous handful of crushed dried rose petals
Instructions
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Squeaky clean hands at the ready – Ta very muchly
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Pre-heat oven to 170*C / 150* Fan / 325 F / gas mark 3.
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First off, prepare your cake tins. Lightly grease with butter and line with greaseproof paper, then dust the sides with flour.
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In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar.
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Sieve the flour, cornflour, and baking powder over the creamed mixture, then add the lime zest, well-whisked eggs, and rose water.
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Combine the ingredients together with a wooden spoon, then add the milk (drop at a time) and bring to a cake batter consistency. Darlings, please refrain from over mixing, as too much air beaten into the batter will certainly cause a culinary catastrophe!
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Now, sprinkle the crushed dried rose petals into the batter and gently combine together.
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Run a pallet knife through the batter, as this will prevent air bubbles from creating unsightly holes in your baked beauty!
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Pour your silky-smooth batter into the prepared tins. Then give the tins a light tap on the kitchen counter, again this will hopefully avoid those dreaded air bubbles from forming!
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Bake on the middle shelf for approximately 20 to 22 minutes.
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Your culinary triumph is ready when risen, golden brown, and a skewer when inserted comes out clean.
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Allow your cakes to cool completely before you sandwich them together with rose buttercream icing.
Rose Buttercream Icing
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In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and rose water.
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Add the icing sugar, milk, and tiny drop of pink food colouring, then using the back of a wooden spoon whip everything together and finish off with a manual whisk until light and fluffy. Or one may call upon the aid of modern technology and create this heavenly
pink concoction with an electric hand whisk. -
Gently stir in a generous handful of crushed dried rose petals – voila!
The Finishing Touch
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Once your cakes have completely cooled, pop one of them onto a pretty vintage plate and cover with a thick slather of rose buttercream icing. Gently place the other cake on top and festoon with some crushed dried rose petals.
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Serve each slice with a steaming hot cup of the finest blend of rose tea – to be supped from an English bone china cup and saucer, of course!
I had no idea how detailed, how utterly scrumptious it is! And this cake, the creative combinations really pique my curiosity! Much love to you darling miss windsor, your instafriend, Wren xx
Hello Wren – my dear Instagram friend!
How the devil are you?
Thank you so much for your incredibly sweet comment.
Miss Windsor’s “tickled pink” that she has really “piqued” your curiosity – Oh, I say!
You must give my recipe a go. It’s so easy yet delightfully delectable and exceedingly flavoursome.
Cheerio for now,
Miss Windsor X
Miss Windsor! Rose and lime – sounds delicious! I must make this.
Hello, darling!
Oh, yes, Mrs Beeton’s Rose & Lime Saucer Cake is utterly divine.
Indeed, you must give my version of Mrs Beeton’s recipe a jolly good go!
Cheerio until next time,
Miss Windsor X
I love this kind of baking. I’ve been in love with frances bissells books the scented kitchen which teaches how to cook and bake with flowers.
Such intoxicating love is produced cooking and baking this way.
Hello, darling!
Well, Miss Windsor is pleased as punch that you love this kind of baking. I must say, I certainly enjoyed whipping up such a “scent-sational” cake with the delicate touch of rose water and dried rose petals. They added a completely different dimension to baking, and of course, my version of Mrs Beeton’s Saucer Cake was created with oodles of “intoxicating love”!
Cheerio until next time,
Miss Windsor X