We are a huge fan of mixing sweet and savory, as you can tell from our name. In the past we have mixed rosemary buttercream with chocolate and the pairing was quite delicious. Another flavor that we love paired with rosemary is lemon. With spring right around the corner we knew this would be the perfect time to test out this flavor combo. For the cake we used our go to lemon cake. This cake is so universal because it taste amazing just on its own but is also perfect for adding berries to (Lemon Blueberry is one of our faves).
Since we were using two very distinct flavors we wanted to keep the cake simple. We chose to do a naked cake design to highlight both the rosemary buttercream and the lemon cake, plus this flavor just screamed rustic vibes to us. When you do a naked cake the majority of the frosting will be what is in the layers. For this reason we wanted to make the buttercream layers thicker than we normally would so there was a better buttercream to cake ratio. Sometimes when the filling gets too thick the cake above can start to smash down the buttercream and smoosh it out the side. To prevent this we chilled the buttercream in the refrigerator before filling the layers to help stiffen it up. Once all the layers were complete we filled in any gaps between the layers but didn’t add any additional buttercream to the sides of the cake. With a frosting scrapper we smoothed out the sides of the cake and removed any access frosting. When smoothing out the cake the buttercream will make its way onto the cake layers, giving it the rustic naked look. The nice thing about naked cakes is you can leave as much or as little of the cake exposed as you wish. There really is no right or wrong way. We did add a thin layer of buttercream to the top of the cake to complete the look. As soon as we were done frosting the cake we put it in the freeze for about 30 minutes to help secure all the layers. Cakes are also easier to cut when the buttercream is more firm because it will help prevent the cake from smashing down when cutting.
We have made rosemary buttercream with both a Swiss Meringue buttercream base and an American buttercream base and have found that the Swiss Meringue by far turned out the best. When you infuse the butter it will change the consistency so it is not as smooth and more gritty. Swiss Meringue buttercream has a much smoother consistency than American buttercream, so this will help counteract the change to the butter. In order to infuse the butter you have to fully melt the butter. For this reason we find it best to make the butter the night before since the butter will need to be chilled to a solid consistency in order to make the buttercream.
We are so happy with how this cake turned out. The lemon cake pairs perfectly with the rosemary swiss meringue buttercream. The rosemary is also not extremely overpowering and gives you just the right amount of flavor. This cake will be the perfect addition to any spring or summer gathering. If you make this recipe we would love to know what you think. Leave a comment below and give us a follow on Instagram. Happy baking!
Lemon Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened, but still cool)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2-3 large lemons)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cake pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamed (about 1 minute). Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add both sugars and beat until creamed (about 2 minutes).
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat on medium until combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients while beating on low speed.
- Add the buttermilk, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix on the lowest speed to fully combine, but don't overmix.
- Divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (It took my 6 inch cakes about 35 minutes, but 8 inch cakes will take less time since the pans are not as full.)
Notes
Rosemary Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
- few sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup egg whites about 6 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the butter in a small sauce pan over medium-high and heat until completely melted. Once melted reduce the heat to low and add the rosemary sprigs. Continue cooking over low heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the stove and let cool. Once cooled, strain out the rosemary and transfer the butter to a container. Place the butter in the refrigerator to let harden to a room temperature consistency. This can take up to an hour. We prefer to infuse the butter the day before.
- Place the egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl. We prefer to use the metal bowl of our stand mixer.
- Fill a pot smaller than your bowl with a couple inches of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down to a simmer and set the bowl on the pot to create a double boiler. Continuously stir the egg whites and sugar until the sugar has fully dissolved or the temperature reaches 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
- Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitter with the whisk attachment and mix on high until the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 8-10 minutes. At this point the bowl should also be cool to the touch.
- While the meringue is mixing cut the rosemary butter into 1 inch cubes.
- When the meringue forms stiff peaks continue mixing on high and add the butter one cube at a time. Once all the butter has been added mix in the vanilla. After the vanilla has been added continue mixing on high for 5 minutes to create your silky smooth buttercream.
