Rose and mushroom cake with watercress and sweet potato frosting

A dearest dear buddy was married to her love today. Due to my chronic illness, I was unable to travel to join, so I wanted to find a way to mark her day and celebrate from afar (Alaska to NYC!). I worked with her in advance to design a cake including flavors she loves, and some I do, too. This recipe brings together complex savoury and sweet flavours. Each bite is at once satisfying, comforting, and completely unique, and the whole concoction is full of humor and smart. Just like my friend. The inspired use of mushrooms add umami, but also an incredible texture so that the cake is at like a lofted sponge. The floral element of rose adds a surprising aromatic quality that pairs with the spice and sweet of the frosting. A slice of this cake that is nutritious and divine treat. Again, adapted from my recipe over on Edible Alaska for sorrel cake and other variations of my own.

For the cake (makes 2 six inch cakes):

  • 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 8 oz oyster mushrooms

  • ½ cup neutral oil

  • ¼ cup aquafaba

  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 3 cups gluten free flour

  • 4 tablespoons rose powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon mace

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1½ teaspoons salt

  • 1 ½ cups oat milk

  • watercress frosting (recipe follows), pint blueberries, rose petals, and mushrooms for assembly

Method

  1. Line four 6 inch cake pans in parchment. Preheat oven to 350F.

  2. In a bowl combine flour, rose powder, mace, baking soda and powder, salt. Whisk well.

  3. In a high powered blender, blend together the vinegar, mushroom, oil, aquafaba, vanilla, and sugar until smooth.

  4. Add the dill blend to the dry ingredients. Slowly add in milk, one half cup at a time. Mix until well-combined.

  5. Pour into pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting (below) and decorating to your taste.

For the frosting

  • 1 Japanese sweet potato

  • 1 cup packed watercress

  • 1 tablespoon agave

  • pinch salt

Method

  1. Microwave sweet potato for 7 minutes until fully softened and let cool. Scrape out the creamy filling.

  2. Using an immersion blender or in a cuisinart, blend all ingredients until smooth. Add more agave to taste.