Rose Bliss Bundt cake is our take on King Arthur Baking’s 2017 Recipe of the Year. Roses are edible, delicious, and nutritious. The flavor is subtle and tastes like roses smell. Taking a bite of this cake truly makes you feel blissful.
Bundt cakes are known for their moist texture, elegant presentation, and versatility when it comes to flavors. While Lemon Bliss Cake1 was the 2017 Recipe of the Year, this Rose Bliss Bundt Cake takes a floral approach. It replaces lemon juice with rose juice and lemon zest with rose petals. We add *Fiori di Sicilia for its floral flavor and to boost the subtle rose flavor.
This is a light tasting cake that would be perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. But, if you want to go all out for Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or other special event, you can bake it in a rose shaped Bundt pan, ice it with pink rose flavored icing, sprinkle more rose petals on it, and fill the center with fresh roses.
Understanding the Ingredients
Why Rose Juice?
Rose juice brings a gentle floral essence without being overpowering. Roses taste exactly like they smell. Some say that roses taste like a combination of strawberry and green apple. The rose family includes apples, pears, quinces, medlars, loquats, almonds, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, sloes, and roses.
Rose juice is more than just a fragrant and flavorful ingredient—it is also known for its various health benefits2. Roses contain natural antioxidants, vitamins, and anti-inflammatory compounds, making them a valuable addition to both culinary and wellness practices.
- Rich in Antioxidants. Rose juice is high in polyphenols and vitamin C. These help reduce oxidative stress, support immune health, and promote skin hydration.
- Digestive Aid. Traditionally used in Persian and Ayurvedic medicine, rose extracts are known to help soothe the digestive tract. They can reduce bloating, and promote gut health.
- Mood-Boosting Properties. The natural aromatic compounds in roses have a calming effect. It can help reduce stress and anxiety while promoting relaxation and better sleep.
When incorporated into a cake, rose juice not only enhances flavor but also brings a subtle wellness boost. It makes the perfect ingredient for an indulgent yet nourishing dessert.
Persian cuisine has long celebrated floral ingredients, with roses playing a key role in both savory and sweet dishes. You’ll find rosewater in rice puddings, saffron desserts, and teas. Dried rose petals are often sprinkled over stews, meats, and pastries. This cake draws inspiration from that tradition, bringing a touch of Persian elegance to a well-loved Bundt cake.
Pairing rose flavors with Fiori di Sicilia and buttery cake batter makes this recipe an aromatic tribute to one of the world’s most ancient and refined culinary traditions.
Rose Petals for Texture and Aroma
Dried rose petals replace traditional citrus zest, offering both visual appeal and a mild floral bite in every slice. They create a delicate contrast against the smooth, buttery cake and add an aromatic depth that lingers after each bite.
Fiori di Sicilia – The Secret Ingredient
*Fiori di Sicilia is an extract often used in Italian and European baking, known for its blend of vanilla and citrus notes. Here, it acts as a bridge between the floral and creamy flavors, keeping the cake well-balanced without being overly perfumed.
Making the Cake
This cake is simple to make in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. The reason we suggest a stand mixer is because the butter and sugar must be creamed and fluffy which incorporates lots of air helping the cake rise.
We use a Bundt pan because:
- Their shape allows for even baking and a golden crust
- The deep ridges help hold onto glazes or light dustings of powdered sugar
- They require no frosting—just a simple glaze or a dusting of sugar is enough
- Nordicware makes a rose shaped Bundt pan if you want.
The Rose Bliss Bundt Cake stays true to this tradition, keeping things simple yet stunning with a light icing or a sprinkle of powdered sugar to finish.
Rose Bliss Bundt Cake Recipe
Email Me the Recipe
Rose Bliss Bundt Cake
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 3 cups *Flour, all purpose (King Arthur recommended)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 8 ounce Butter, unsalted, 2 sticks
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, fine
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon *Fiore di Sicilia
- 1 cup milk, whole milk preferred
- 1 tablespoon *Rose petals, dried
~~ — Glaze — ~~
- ⅓ cup rose juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
~~ — Icing (optional) — ~~
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Rose Juice
- 1 drop Pink coloring gel
- 1 tablespoon *Rose petals, dried
Instructions
- Mise en Place
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C).
- 3 cups Flour, 2 teaspoons baking powderMeasure the flour by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Sift the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl.
- 8 ounce Butter, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon saltIn the stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and salt, first until combined, then until fluffy and lightened in color.
- 4 large eggsAdd the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl
- 1/2 teaspoon Fiore di SiciliaOnce all the eggs have been added, and add the Fiore di Sicilia. Beat briefly to re-combine any residue.
- 1 cup milkAdd the flour mixture to the batter in three parts alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour.
- 1 tablespoon Rose petalsStir in the rose petals.
- Thoroughly grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, leveling it and smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. A pan with a dark interior will bake cake more quickly; start checking at 40 minutes.
Make the Glaze
- 1/3 cup rose juice, 1/2 cup granulated sugarWhile the cake is baking, make the glaze by stirring together the rose juice and sugar. Microwave or heat over a burner briefly, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Set the glaze aside.
- Remove the cake from the oven, and carefully run a knife between cake and pan all around the edge.
- Place the pan upside down on a cooling rack. A *half sheet pan with a *rack is perfect for this. If the cake drops out of the pan onto the rack, remove the pan. If the cake doesn't drop onto the rack, let it rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift the pan off the cake. If the cake still feels like it's sticking, give it another 5 minutes upside down, then very gently shake the pan back and forth to loosen and remove it.
- Brush the glaze using a *pastry brush all over the hot cake, both top and sides. Let it sink in, then brush on more glaze, continuing until all the glaze is used up.
- Put the cake in the refrigerator to completely cool before icing or serving.
Ice the Cake (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/8 teaspoon Salt, 2 tablespoon Rose JuiceMix the sugar and salt, then mix in 2 tablespoons of the rose juice, adding just enough additional juice to create a thick glaze, one that's just barely pourable.
- 1 drop Pink coloring gelAdd the drop of coloring gel and thoroughly mix it in.
- 1 tablespoon Rose petalsDrizzle the icing artfully over the completely cool cake, then sprinkle rose petals on the top.
Nutrition
- King Arthur Flour 2017 Recipe of the Year
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/lemon-bliss-cake-recipe ↩︎ - Beneficial medicinal effects and material applications of rose
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10758878/ ↩︎
