This vegan rose loaf cake is soft, moist, and flavorful - and you can’t tell that it is vegan! It uses a homemade rose water to get a beautiful rose flavor without being overpowering. This rose cake is perfect for those who do not like most rose flavored desserts because it isn’t overwhelming. The subtle lemon flavor from the lemon zest makes it the perfect spring or summer (or any time of year, really) dessert!
The flavor profile of this cake is deceptively complex for such an easy cake to put together! No fancy equipment or hand mixers needed. No one will ever know 😉
All about roses
This recipe uses dried rose petals to make a concentrated, homemade, rose water. To make it, you combine the rose petals with water in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Leave it for 10 minutes, so that the rose petals become colorless. Strain, and store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 month!
The rose petals are simmered with water until the petals become colourless. This ensures that all of the beautiful natural flavour and colour infuses into the water. This is what gives the loaf its subtle pink hue and the glaze its pale pink colour.
Homemade rose water tastes and look much better than store bought! Making it at home gives it a beautiful pink colour that you cannot get with store bought. With homemade, the flavour is less overwhelmingly floral - which is perfect for baking. Whenever I bake with store bought rose water it usually has a tendency to overpower and taste like a beauty product.
I like to make sure that my rose water is made of good quality, sustainably sourced, high grade rose petals. You can definitely taste the difference in the vegan rose loaf cake! The colour and the aroma will vary depending on where you source your rose petals from.
You want your rose petals to look vibrant and bright. They should smell very fragrant and floral - not musty or flat. The bigger the pieces, the better! It is ok if there are a few leaves in the mix, but there shouldn’t be many twigs.
You will have a small amount of homemade rose water left over. You can mix drops of it into your tea, water, or lemonade to give it a beautiful floral scent and flavour. You can also add it to a spray bottle with distilled water to make your own refreshing and toning face spray.
🌹Where to get dried rose petals
I sourced my rose petals from my local Naturopathic doctor at Georgina Naturopathic. It's important (at least to me) that the rose petals are picked at peak maturity, responsibly sourced, clean, and purchased locally. These are exactly the kinds of herbs Doctor Yulia sources at her clinic. She is incredibly knowledgeable in her botanicals - for medicinal or culinary purposes, and her clinic looks like a modern day apothecary. Go check it out!
If you're not in the area, check in with your local herbalist or spice shop to find good quality, fresh dried rose petals. This really makes all the difference in the flavour of this vegan rose loaf cake.
Check out my other vegan/dairy free recipes:
🔪Ingredients
- Good quality rose petals: You will be using these to make a concentrated rose water to naturally flavour the loaf cake and glaze.
- All purpose flour: Can be substituted for 1:1 gluten free flour. Be aware that the loaf may be a bit more dense
- Baking powder and baking soda: Important for giving the loaf lift and making it airy.
- Organic granulated or cane sugar: Can be substituted for brown or coconut sugar, but it might overpower the flavour profile.
- Milk of choice: Almond or oat milk work great
- Dairy free yogurt of choice: This is an important ingredient that gives the loaf its depth, moisture, and beautiful bouncy texture. I used oat yogurt, but any will do. Choose one with probiotics for extra health benefits.
- Melted refined coconut oil: Can be substituted for canola, vegetable, or light olive oil. You want a flavourless oil so that you can’t taste it.
- 1 large or 2 medium lemons: for juice and zest.
Directions
- Make the rose water: Simmer and steep the dried rose petals in water.
- Sift and mix the dry ingredients together
- Mix the wet ingredients together
- Combine the wet into the dry, mix until incorporated
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean
- While the cake is cooling mix together the glaze
- Flip out the loaf and pour the glaze on top. Slice and serve!
Happy baking! xx
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Vegan Rose Loaf
Equipment
- 9" by 5" loaf pan
Ingredients
Rose Water
- ½ cup good quality rose petals
- 1 cup filtered water
Loaf
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil for greasing
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour for greasing
- 2 cups+2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated or cane sugar
- ½ cup milk of choice
- ½ cup dairy free yogurt of choice
- ¼ cup melted refined coconut oil
- ¼ cup rose water
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1 large or 2 medium lemons
Rose Glaze
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon rose water use more or less to get desired consistency
Instructions
Rose Water
- Combine the dried rose petals and water in a small saucepan, cover, and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 5 minutes and let sit for 10 minutes, covered. The petals should look colourless and the water should be a bright reddish pink colour.½ cup good quality rose petals, 1 cup filtered water
- Strain the rose water through a sieve and set aside to cool.
Loaf
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Grease the loaf pan with oil. Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon flour into the pan and tap to cover all sides. Shake excess out.½ teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.2 cups+2 tablespoon all purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, milk, yogurt, oil, rose water, lemon juice, and zest.¾ cup granulated or cane sugar, ½ cup milk of choice, ½ cup dairy free yogurt of choice, ¼ cup melted refined coconut oil, ¼ cup rose water, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Pour into the greased loaf pan and bake at 180°C for 50-55 minutes - until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool inside pan. Flip the cake out once it is completely cooled.
Glaze
- Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl1 cup icing sugar
- Add 1 tablespoon rose water and whisk together. Add more rose water to thin it out if needed. Do not make it too thin, it needs to be thicker than glue consistency.1 ½ tablespoon rose water
- Immediately pour the glaze over the loaf (it dries quickly) and let it set for 5 minutes before cutting into slices
- Enjoy! Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Add drops of rose water to lemonade, tea, or even water. The rose water will add a beautiful rose aroma and soft pink colour. Be careful of adding too much because it may taste bitter since it is a very strong concentrate.
- Add some rose water to a spray bottle diluted with water. Spritz on your face and neck as a refreshing and toning spray.
This blog post is sponsored by Georgina Naturopathic
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!