As Rose geranium in my garden is now in full bloom so I had to  make this “therapeutic”  Rose geranium cake.

I would like to share with you my favourite  Rose geranium cake recipe of Jane Newdick’s from her “Book of Herbs”. You will have an adrenal tonic  and antioxidant  cake. I use gluten free flour like kamut or quinoa  and xylitol as a sweetener. This is a special layer cake for a Spring party.

Perargonium odorantisimus or Rose geranium has traditionally been used as adrenal restorative tonic, balancing menstruation, harmonizing menopause, regulating blood sugar level, relieving fatigue, oedema, inflammation, antiparasitic and astringent. The therapeutic tincture is not available in Australia. However you may buy Rose geranium, Pelargonium odorantisimus  from a local nursery. When in season  you may juice a small branch  together with your morning juice for morning adrenal  pick up  and energy or make a refreshing  tea by infusion.

For the cake mixture:

4 eggs

150g icing sugar

75g plain white flour

75 g cornflour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

5 Rose geranium leaves finally chopped

 

For the filling:

425ml whipped  cream

50g icing sugar

10 pink rose petals or Rose geranium flowers , finely chopped

125 of  fresh raspberries

 

step2

Extra Geranium leaves for  frosted  leaves for decoration
Preparation and baking time: 45min, serves 6-8 people

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Separate the eggs and put the yolks into a blender with icing sugar. Blend until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them carefully into the yolk mixture. Sift  the two flours and baking powder together and add Geranium leaves. Gently fold the flour into the egg mixture. Grease a 20cm round springform cake tin and line the base  with non-stick  baking paper. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake  in the centre of the preheated oven fro about 25 minutes or until the cake is well risen  and light brown. Unmold  and cool on a wire rack. When completely cold, slice the cake into three layers.

To make the filling, whip the cream until stiff. Fold in half the sugar and the rose petals. Finally, add fresh raspberries. Spread one-half of the filling over the bottom layer, lay the middle part over it and spread with the rest of the filling. Place the top layer on the cake and decorate it with the rest of icing sugar, sifted over the cake, the berries and frosted Geranium leaves. Chill until required.

Frosted Geranium leaves

Step1

1. Choose small pretty shaped, Rose geranium leaves to frost with icing sugar.The leaves have to be dry with some  stalk left. Beat an egg white with a fork until bubbly, but do not  whisk it. With a fine  paint brush, paint the eggs white all over the surface of the leaf, front and  back, to completely cover it.

2. Quickly dip the leaf in and out of a pile of sugar on a plate and shake  it so there is no excess of sugar. The whole leave has to be covered with sugar.

3. Transfer the sugared leaves to a cake cooling rack or a wire mesh tray and stand this in warm and dry place  until the leaves have hardened and turned crispy, and the sugar is dry.Rose geranium 028