Last updated on July 20th, 2012
SHHH! It’s my partner’s birthday, and to mark the occasion I’ve cloaked a cake in deliciously-fragrant Rose-Geranium Icing. You can make this unusual glaze, too, by simply steeping a handful of scented leaves in a tiny amount of milk:
Rose-Geranium Icing
10 fresh, medium-to-large Rose-Geranium leaves
1/3 cup milk
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
Red and Blue Food-coloring, optional
In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring milk to a boil. Remove pan from heat, drop in leaves, and swish them around the pan to insure they wilt. Then cover and let steep for 15 minutes.
When milk has cooled, retrieve leaves and wring them out with your hand. You want to extract from them all the rose-essence you can.
Pour the scented milk over confectioner’s sugar, and whisk until perfectly smooth. If you are using food coloring, I can tell you that 8 drops of red and 1 drop of blue will produce a lovely rose hue.
Pour icing over cake, and let it slowly spread over the sides. Icing will puddle at the cake’s base. If you wish, garnish sides of cake with extra rose-geranium leaves.
As my partner’s two sisters — Sara and Lucille — will testify, Rose-Geranium icing is finger-lickin’ good.
I should probably mention that a rose-scented geranium (actually, it is a Pelargonium)is one of the easiest plants to grow. Mine, P. ‘True Rose,’ is the variety the colonists brought to the New World. It grows equally well indoors and out. If your local, independent garden center doesn’t carry it, you can easily order one from Logees in Danielson, CT.
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Janis in Chicago says
Oh, My!!! It sounds wonderful. I have to get one of these plants!
Eric says
You have a very lucky partner. Wish I could swipe some of that icing from the bowl, too!
Phoebe says
Save me a slice! It looks SO good.
Justin says
Happy Birthday to your partner! The cake looks delicious!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
I can tell you this icing is FANTASTIC. I'll make it again and again.