Name: Raspberry Rosewater Cupcakes
Prep time: 120 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 2 3/4 cups cake flour; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 3/4 teaspoon salt (divided); 2 3/4 cups sugar (divided); 12 ounces unsalted butter (3 sticks, at room temperature, divided); 4 large eggs (at room temperature); 2 tablespoons rosewater; 1 1/2 cups milk; 8 ounces fresh raspberries; 16 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature); 3 teaspoons vanilla; 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar; 36 pesticide-free red and/or pink rose petals; 2 egg whites (lightly beaten)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

I’m not giving into the apple and pumpkin season recipes quite yet, because… this is happening:

That will mark the beginning of my fall. I hope I get to wear a warm, puffy jacket and boots and a hat. (Well, minus the hat. Curly hair + hat = disaster). Expect the apple recipes to come shortly after. Then the pumpkin ones. For now, I’m saying farewell to the last bit of raspberries. They come back into season right about now and stay in season until about tomorrow. Enough time for a quick goodbye-summer, hello-fall treat.

I found this recipe on my beloved SeriousEats.com. I’m fond of rose-flavored things… at least fond of those rose-flavored French macarons from Ladurée. This is my first attempt at a rose-flavored dessert and this is kinda how my trip to Whole Foods went:

Me: Excuse me, is this the same rosewater that is used to flavor certain desserts?
Whole Foods Lady: Yes.
Me: This AROMATHERAPY MIST/BODY SPLASH is the same rosewater that is used in food?
Whole Foods Lady: Yes.
Me: Uh, ok.

Anyone up for some Cucumber Melon cookies? Warm Vanilla Sugar cake? Anyone?

These are worthy of a front-and-center glass case appearance at the best bakery in town — cause they’re absolutely beautiful. Plus, you could eat a million! (Or just one, if you haven’t yet conditioned your sweet tooth.) There’s a dense fruity layer at the bottom, it’s light and pillowy in the middle, topped with a sweet cream-cheesy frosting. And the candied rose petal adds a nice sugary crunch.

I took 12 to my kickball team – that’s some serious love FYI. I didn’t spend FOUR HOURS baking them for just anyone. The other half went to work in the hopes of impressing some people, but mostly because everyone’s been working so hard lately and we deserve a treat.

5 from 1 vote

Raspberry Rosewater Cupcakes

Lightly adapted from Maria del Mar Sacasa's recipe at SeriousEats.com

Course Dessert

Prep Time 2 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Servings 24 -26 cupcakes

Author Danielle Cushing

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt divided
2 3/4 cups sugar divided
12 ounces unsalted butter 3 sticks, at room temperature, divided
4 large eggs at room temperature
2 tablespoons rosewater
1 1/2 cups milk
8 ounces fresh raspberries
16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
3 teaspoons vanilla
16 ounces confectioners’ sugar
36 pesticide-free red and/or pink rose petals
2 egg whites lightly beaten

Instructions

For the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Coat muffin tins with baking spray and line with cupcake liners.
Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl; set aside. With mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 1 3/4 cups sugar and 8 oz. (2 sticks) butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 4 whole eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add rosewater and beat just to combine.
Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk. Mix just until combined, scraping sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Fold in raspberries with rubber spatula.
Divide batter equally between prepared cupcake tins, until about 3/4 full. Bake until cake tester inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to cooling racks and cool 10 minutes in pans. Turn cupcakes directly onto racks (they will be upside down) and cool completely, about 1 hour.
For the Icing: Using whisk attachment, whip cream cheese, 4 oz. (1 stick) butter, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Reduce speed to low, add confectioners’ sugar, and whip until incorporated, scraping bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed, 30 to 60 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to whip until frosting is light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
For the Rose Petals and Assembly: Dip petals, one at a time, in 2 lightly-beaten egg whites, gently rubbing whites all over petals with fingertips. Toss petals in the 1 cup of sugar, shaking off excess. Arrange on cooling rack and allow to set at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Ice cooled cupcakes and decorate with rose petals. Serve.

Update: My rating is 5/5 stars. Ben’s rating is 4.5/5 stars. He deducted 1/4 point for not being peanut butter and chocolate and 1/4 point for having a girly pink rose on top.