Chocolate Rose Cake with Vanilla Whipped Cream Recipe

This Chocolate Rose Cake is rich, deeply chocolatey, and as romantic as a dessert can be. Layers of dark chocolate cake are scented with rose in two ways: brewed rose tea from dried petals and a splash of rosewater. A light vanilla bean whipped cream softens the intense chocolate and ganache, creating a balanced, elegant cake.

If you enjoy the floral, slightly spicy-sweet flavor of roses, this cake is a lovely choice. Make it for a special someone, for a spring celebration when roses begin to bloom, or whenever you want something beautiful and memorable.

Chocolate rose cake tips

This recipe builds on a classic devil’s food cake: melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and sour cream give the cake deep chocolate flavor and a tender, moist crumb.

Many chocolate cake recipes call for hot water because it helps bloom the cocoa powder and deepen the chocolate flavor while smoothing the batter. For an extra floral note, replace that hot water with a steeped rose tea.

Start heating the water while you prepare pans and dry ingredients. Once it boils, pour it over the dried roses and let them steep 5–7 minutes while you cream butter and sugar. I find a French press handy for this, but a teapot or jar with a lid will work fine.

After steeping, strain the petals and whisk the hot rose tea into the bowl with chopped chocolate and cocoa powder until the chocolate melts and the mixture is silky. Stir in the rosewater.

Fold this chocolate–rose mixture into the batter, alternating with the dry ingredients. Mix gently and stop as soon as everything is combined to avoid overworking the cake.

Making the chocolate rose ganache

Ganache is a deceptively simple frosting, but working with chocolate requires a little care. Follow these steps for a smooth, glossy ganache:

• Chop the dark chocolate very finely so it melts quickly and evenly when you add warm cream.
• Warm the cream over low heat and remove it just as small bubbles form around the edges—do not let it boil, or the ganache can become grainy.
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute before stirring. Whisk gently from the center outward until it becomes thick and glossy.
• Whisk in the rosewater at the end, tasting carefully to keep the floral note subtle and balanced.

Cake frosting & decorating tips

Finishing a cake can feel intimidating, but these straightforward tips will help you get a clean, attractive result:

• Let the cakes cool completely before trimming, filling, or frosting.
• If the layers domed while baking, level them with a serrated bread knife for even stacking.
• Use only a light amount of ganache and whipped cream between layers—reserve most for the exterior. About 1/4 cup ganache and 1/2 cup whipped cream is usually sufficient for filling.
• Apply a thin layer of ganache over the assembled cake and chill 20 minutes to set a crumb coat; this traps loose crumbs and yields a smoother final finish.
• Whip the cream to soft peaks before frosting. Overwhipping can make the cream look curdled as you spread it.

Decorate however you like: dried roses and small garden flowers make a delicate, rustic look. Fresh roses, chocolate curls, or piped whipped cream can create a more polished presentation.

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Chocolate Rose Cake with Vanilla Whipped Cream

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 35 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

Yield: 10 slices

Author: Karie Kirkpatrick

Layers of moist chocolate rose cake, rose ganache, and vanilla bean whipped cream.

Equipment

• 6-inch cake pans
• Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachments

Ingredients

 

Chocolate Rose Cake

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cups boiling water
• ¼ cup dried roses
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon rosewater
• 5 ounces unsalted butter, soft
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Rose Ganache

• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ teaspoons rosewater

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar, or regular sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

For the cake:

• Butter three 6-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
• Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.
• Steep the dried roses in the boiling water for 5–7 minutes, then strain the tea into the chocolate bowl. Whisk until smooth and add the rosewater.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions. Mix in sour cream and vanilla.
• Add about one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine gently. With the mixer running, pour in half the chocolate mixture. Alternate adding the remaining flour and chocolate mixtures, finishing with the last third of the flour.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake until set and a toothpick comes out clean, about 30–35 minutes. Cool completely.

For rose ganache:

• Place chopped semisweet chocolate in a medium bowl. Gently heat the cream until little bubbles form at the edges—do not boil.
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for one minute, then whisk until smooth. Stir in the rosewater gently.

For whipped cream:

• Whisk the heavy cream with the scraped vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract, and sugar until soft peaks form.

To assemble cake:

• Level the cake tops if needed. Spread about ½ cup of whipped cream on the first layer and place the second layer on top.
• Spread about ¼ cup of ganache over the second layer, then add the third layer and press lightly to adhere.
• Coat the outside of the cake with the remaining ganache in a thin, even layer. Chill at least 20 minutes, until the ganache firms up.
• Finish by frosting lightly with the remaining whipped cream and decorate as desired. Keep chilled until serving.

Notes

Allow the cake to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.

You may bake this in two 8-inch pans instead of three 6-inch pans; larger pans will require a few extra minutes in the oven.

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