Rose Petal Cake
Ingredients
Makes: 1 (9-inch) triple layer cake
2 boxes French vanilla cake mix
6 eggs
2 cups almond milk
1⁄3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup pistachio meat
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
Green food coloring
Pink food coloring
1/4 cup almond meal/four
2 teaspoons almond extract
Honey Buttercream Frosting
Sugared Rose Petals (see Petal Pushers), for garnish
Honey Buttercream Frosting
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature
8 cups powdered sugar
1⁄3 cup honey
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, combine cake mixes, eggs, almond milk, and oil. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Increase to medium speed and beat for 3 minutes, or until smooth. Divide batter evenly among 3 bowls.
In a food processor fitted with a blade, finely grind half of the pistachios. Coarsely chop the rest and set aside for garnish. Fold the ground pistachios into one bowl of batter and tint a light green. Set aside.
Stir raspberry jam into second bowl of batter and tint a soft pink. Stir almond meal and extract into remaining bowl of batter. Pour batters into cake pans and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans.
Carefully unmold cake layers and level tops with a serrated knife if necessary. Set the plain cake layer on a serving dish and spread a thin (1⁄4-inch) layer of buttercream on the top. Repeat with raspberry cake layer and top with pistachio cake layer. Use remaining frosting to cover cake, swirling frosting on top and sides of cake. Garnish with rose petals and remaining pistachios.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. On low speed, beat in 4 cups powdered sugar until smooth. Add honey and remaining 4 cups powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes, or until frosting is light and fluffy. Beat in milk until frosting is light and fluffy.
