I have a request from a bride for a rose or lavendar flavored cake. This doesnt sound very good to me, but I told the bride I would try to find recipes for her to try.. for a fee of course..lol!
Anyone ever try this?
I read to use rose oil, water, or rose extract in a vanilla cake. Sounds simple enough. Would this be available in the grocery store or do you think the cake supply store would have them with the candy oils?
She also mentioned a blood orange cake.
Oh, and she wants real butterflies in a glass vase that is the separator for two tiers. I think shes crazy. OH, Oh and the top tier is to look like on giant rose. Im gonna post a picture of it on another post. I aint sure about it either.
I have made both flavors and have been most satisfied with a white cake recipe and extracts. I use Silver Cloud lavender and Star Kay White rose extracts. I have also used organic pink rose petals (dried, cause I can't get fresh here) in the batter with good results. I did not like ground culinary lavender in the batter - strange texture or something. Global has the lavender extract. I really like rose cake with champagne flavored icing. Can't help you with the live butterflies. Don't think they would stay alive very long.
Have you ever had Turkish Delight? That is made with rose water. I think the best place to find the rose water would be Mediterranean stores. I would use rose water in the filling not actually for baking, but you could try both and see what tastes better. Just have to be careful how much you add. Also, I would add some almond flavoring with it.
I personally would prefer lavender. I have had lavender in cakes. Lavender works very well with lemon. You can just make any lemon cake recipe and add about 1 2 tablespoon dried lavender.
Ummm...I'd discourage the butterfly idea. They need oxygen which they won't have if they're trapped in a vase between two layers of cake. She'll have dead butterflies which could be quite disturbing to some people, not to mention just mean to the butterflies.
I've seen rose water made on television and it's a funky process but fairly easy. Here's one way to do it: http://homecooking.about.com/od/allherbrecipes/r/blherb1.htm
You should be able to purchase rose water if you don't want to make your own, as well as food safe lavendar oil and lavendar water.
I've used Monin's rose-flavored syrup in strawberry filling and added it to some pink-colored buttercream. It was so good! I paired it with a white/vanilla cake and it was lovely together.
I do think that I'll order the extract that ibmoser mentioned, as I've tried making a cake with rose-scented sugar and rose water (for flavoring) with little success. The rose taste wasn't very noticeable.
Good luck!
Extract sounds like a great idea. I've made rosewater angel food cake and I've made shortbread type cookies with the lavendar pieces--the sweet friend who gave me the lavander (pick the spelling you prefer both works for moi 
told me using too much will result in a soapy taste--so.
But I do recommend using some lavendar pieces in there for visual effect. When I made the cookies I ground some of it then used some of it whole for effect. The cookies are purely luscious. Understated and unique.
There's a recipe on egullet.org for the lavendar cookies.
I LOVE rose water - my turkish delight cupcakes are one of my most popular flavours - only need a drop or two but the flavour if gorgeous!
i also just bought foodsafe lavendar flowers to try lavendar cupcakes - yum!!
live butterflies is a bit mental sounding - that is cruel and as someone said dead butterflies in a glass bowl isnt very pretty!! i used feather butterflies on wires in my cupcake tower in my pics and they were really realisitic.
Good luck!
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