"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."
Robert Louis Stevenson




Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Calendula Flower Cake, Pot Marigolds and Easter Ideas

Today I decided to make this pretty Calendula Flower Cake. The recipe is from Cooking with Herbs by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead copyright 1989.

I have an abundance of Calendula flowers blooming right now (you may know these as Pot Marigolds) mostly orange flowers with a few yellow coming in too.


Such a pretty cake for Easter Dessert...


The wind began to blow, petals flying everywhere...


I added Lemon Zest to the batter, this is not in the original recipe but I have lots of lemons right now.  The cake turned out nice. You frost it with a Boiled White Icing; I know this as 7-Minute Icing.  Make sure your cake is completely cooled before you begin  frosting.  Press finely grated coconut into the frosting before it sets, and then top with the Calendula petals.


 Make sure you only use organic, pesticide free flowers.

Rinse well and pull the petals from the flower heads

Then drain well before placing on cake.  Do this ahead of time so they are sure to be dry.


I used raw sugar and a reduced fat coconut, but real butter and whole milk.  Beautiful farm fresh aqua colored eggs are from a good friend

Original Recipe, on page 17 of  Cooking with Herbs by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead
If you find you are pressed for time, you could use a purchased cake mix and frosting and then add your own flower petals.

I think it would also be nice to use an Angel Food Cake and decorate it with whipped cream, the coconut and the flowers.  Or maybe make cupcakes and place the flower petals on each. 


"The Earth Laughs in Flowers"
-Ralph Waldo Emerson




3 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness...YUM! It almost looks to beautiful to eat. :o)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm only about a year and a half late in commenting on this, but what a FABULOUS cake! I love the casually strewn petals and the breeze blowing them away...
    My Grandma had Calendula growing on either side of her garden path, and your cake makes me feel very nostalgic about visiting her as a small girl.
    I'd love to make this, but being across the pond I would have to improvise with some of the ingredients! Thanks for sharing
    Jane Gray

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Jane,
    I am so glad you commented, even though this is an old entry I still come back myself to look at it. I
    will be over to join your blog.

    Carla

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking time to visit my blog, I love hearing from you, stay as long as you like, Carla