Rose Petits Fours
Petits fours are perfectly adorable, and there’s perhaps no better way to flavor them than with delicate floral essences. The base recipe here is for rose petits fours, but you’ll find orange blossom and lavender variations. If you want to really wow a crowd, make all three. I like to decorate them with edible flowers, but you really can’t ever go wrong with sprinkles.
Makes 36 petits fours
Difficulty: Medium
Make Ahead and Storage: The cake can be made ahead and stored, tightly wrapped in plastic, at room temperature for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month. The glaze can be made up to 1 day ahead; reheat as directed. The filled and frosted cake can be frozen unglazed (whole or in pieces) airtight for up to 1 month. The glazed petits fours will keep at room temperature for up to 7 days airtight.
- Cake
- 227 g / 8 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 298 g / 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 85 g / 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 5 g / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 271 g / 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 g / ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 g / ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 121 g / ½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 60 g / ¼ cup rose water
- Frosting and filling
- 58 g / 2 oz / 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 113 g / 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2.5 g / ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 g / 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 170 g / ½ cup strawberry jelly
- Icing
- 907 g / 8 cups / 2 boxes powdered sugar
- 312 g / ½ cup light corn syrup
- 161 g / ⅔ cup water
- 2.5 g / ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 or 4 drops red food coloring (optional)
- Rose petals (dried, candied, or fresh, with bitter white base removed) or sprinkles, for finishing
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C, with a rack in the middle. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Make the cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), cream the butter and granulated sugar on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed until each is fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl well. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a container with a spout (such as a 1-cup liquid measure), combine the milk and rose water. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend on low speed to combine, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the milk mixture in a slow, steady stream and mix to combine, 1 minute more.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes (the cake will not spring back when you touch it in the middle). Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the frosting: In a small bowl, with a hand mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar on medium-low speed until light and fluffy; scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and cream and mix to combine.
7. Fill and frost the cake: Use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally in half (see Cutting Cakes into Layers). Place the bottom layer cut side up on a turntable or cake stand (or a platter). Spread the jelly evenly over the top. Top with the second layer. Pile the frosting onto the center of the cake and spread it in an even layer; use it to help fill in or conceal any ripples or marks, so that the surface of the cake is as flat and smooth as possible. Refrigerate the cake until it is thoroughly chilled, at least 30 minutes. (If you’re short on time, you can freeze the cake for 15 to 20 minutes—the colder the cake is, the easier it will be to cut it cleanly.)
8. Make the icing: In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, corn syrup, water, vanilla, and food coloring, if using. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (with the bowl not touching the water) and heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. The icing should be fluid but not so warm it will melt the frosting (you can use an instant-read thermometer to make sure it’s below 100°F / 38°C).
9. Glaze the petits fours: Use a long serrated knife to trim about ¼ inch off each side of the chilled cake, creating flat sides. To form 36 squares, cut the cake vertically into 6 equal strips and then horizontally into 6 equal strips.
10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack on top. Transfer the cut cakes to the rack. Use a ladle or a spoon to pour some icing over each cake. (The icing should easily run down and fully cover the sides of the cakes; if it gets too thick, you can warm it up slightly by setting the bowl in a shallow bowl of hot water.) To use the icing that falls onto the baking sheet, just lift off the rack of cakes, lift up the parchment, and squeeze the icing back into the bowl.
11. Garnish the cakes with rose petals or sprinkles and let sit until the icing is set, at least 30 minutes.
✻ Why It Works
The cake for these petits fours is on the dense side, which makes it easy to slice into tidy little squares. Only the cake component contains the floral flavoring, because it can become overwhelming. The jelly and icing help balance everything out with their fruitiness and sweetness.
★ Pro Tip
As with any recipe with multiple components, the whole process is much less daunting if you make some of them in advance. I usually make the frosting and icing ahead of time, so that after the cake is baked and cooled, I can just focus on the assembly. You can also make the cake ahead. See Make Ahead and Storage, for instructions on advance prep.
