rosemary orange blossom cake with vanilla white chocolate buttercream

When Justin DeMutiis, a good friend of mine and very talented wedding photographer, called me and asked if I'd be interested in making the cake for a wedding inspiration shoot, I felt incredibly honored. Not only would I have a reason to bake a cake, but I would be working alongside my other dear friend, Eileen Pandolfo from Twine Bindery. Justin explained that this wasn't just an ordinary shoot, but it is organic in every sense of the word. The theme was to consist of green and white colors, and to take place at a venue where you could completely get lost in nature.

 If you follow me on instagram, you may remember some photos I posted from that day, the above being one of them. Bok Tower Gardens was so beautiful, even under the rain that graced the leaves and flowers for most of the afternoon. Ultimately, we felt the rain actually added to the shoot. Mother Nature presented herself in many forms that day, fitting the theme almost perfectly.

I was able to quickly snap just a few photos of the cake before Justin stepped in. If you travel over to his blog, you'll be able to view many more photos from the wedding inspiration shoot. They are stunning! You can also check out Ruffled Blog, where the shoot was featured.

Inspiration for the cake not only stemmed from the earthiness of the theme, but from Florida's state flower as well, the Orange Blossom. Although a slightly uncommon combination, the hint of rosemary against the delicate floral taste of the orange blossom water worked seamlessly, as if they belonged together all along.

Rosemary Orange Blossom Cake with Vanilla White Chocolate Buttercream
makes two 9-inch cakes

for the cake:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick of butter, softened/room temperature
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 1/4 cups of milk
3 eggs
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of orange blossom water
1/3 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary

I used organic ingredients where possible and lightly adapted this yellow cake recipe from thekitchn.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round pans with non-stick cooking spray. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and sugar together until fluffy and light. Add the eggs and beat until fully incorporated and light. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, and finally the milk, vanilla, rosemary, and orange blossom water. Mix together on low for 30 seconds, then high for 3 minutes.

Immediately pour into the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops spring back slightly when pressed.

Let cool on wire racks for at least 15 minutes, then flip each pan over onto the rack and tap gently all over. Lift the pan slightly. If the cake resists, lay a slightly damp kitchen towel over the pan and tap again. If necessary, let the cakes cool a bit more.

Once the cakes are completely cooled, frost & enjoy!

for the buttercream:

2 sticks of butter, softened
3 2/3 cups of confectioner's sugar (+ more if necessary)
6 oz melted white chocolate
1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste, but either will work)
small pinch of salt

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter and confectioner's sugar and beat at low speed until fluffy.

Add in melted & cooled white chocolate, vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and heavy whipping cream. Beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes or until fluffy.

lightly adapted from food.com