e, At our recent Epiphany Party, I brought out my bright golden Calendula Cake. It was very well received, and I did promise to share the recipe.
Cake is Easy to Make
I can’t remember when I did not bake a cake from scratch. Once, around age 20, I decided to “save time” and buy a cake mix. I picked a box off the shelf in the supermarket and read the directions. And then I reread them. And read them once again because I thought I didn’t understand something. The world tilted and I had a sense of deep betrayal, standing there in the aisle of the A. J. Bayless supermarket on Congress (it’s gone now).
This “easy” and “fast” and “simple” and “modern” cake mix in the pretty box with all the commercials on television and advertising in magazines only had three of the ingredients for a cake. I still had to come up with the other three, eggs, oil, and liquid. Combined with opening a box and shaking it out I had to mix four things together. How was this supposed to be fast or easy? It is only the work of moments to add six ingredients together. How was it more modern to mix four instead of six? How was this better than an “old fashioned” cake from scratch? The “old fashioned” was said in quite a derogatory manner.
So I went home and have made my old fashioned cake ever since then. My friends were delighted and you will be too.
Why a Gold Cake?
Golden to celebrate the gold that the Magi brought. The Magi were, according to tradition, Persian Zoroastrian priests who were guided to ride for 12 days off to a far away land carrying precious goods with them. Later translations call them “kings” and some traditions call the 12 th day of Christmas “Kings Day.” These traditions celebrate with a Rosca De Reyes which is translated as Three Kings Cake. This recipe is not that. And it is not the Mardi Gras King’s Cake either. This is just my personal golden delicious cake that I make on many occasions. I often make it for Easter or for Hanukkah parties. But not for Passover. I have an unleavened cake I make for Passover. 
For how to grow calendula flowers, head on over to Gardening With Soule.
For how to use calendula flowers in a soothing skin lotion, consider Jacqueline’s online Lotion Making class.
Basic Cake from Scratch
I will share the simple modern ingredients for any basic cake first. Below that will be the things modify to make into calendula cake. After the step by step for that I can discuss how to also make a lemon cake, or chocolate cake, or other flavor.
This is enough for a basic cake for a 9” X 9” square or 9” round pan. You can double the recipe and make a layer cake if you want.
Basic Cake Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour, cake flour is better 3/4 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 cup softened butter 1 teaspoon fresh baking powder 1 cup liquid, generally whole milk 1/2 teaspoon salt
Calendula Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 2 large eggs 2/3 cup softened butter 1 1/4 teaspoon fresh baking powder 1 cup super strong calendula tea 1 teaspoon orange zest 1/2 teaspoon salt
Step 1: Prepare your Calendula Tea
A. This preparation is the same for any floral tea (calendula, rose, home-grown chrysanthemum). At least 1 /4 cup of dried flower petals in a heat proof mug or jar.
B. Pour over your petals 1 cup boiling water.
C. Let steep for 10 minutes.
D. Strain the tea into a measuring cup You can gently press the liquid out but be gentle to avoid also pressing out the bitter components.
E. Add cool water or even ice cubes to make a full cup of liquid. The flower petals can be used in the cake but should not be counted as part of the liquid.
Step 2: General Cake Ingredients and Equipment Preparation
Room temperature ingredients make the best results, so a few moments to do this will result in a better, fluffier cake. Just like a store bought one.
A. Warm your eggs. Get eggs of the refrigerator and place them – still in the shell – in a class of tap water. Even 65-70F is better than 45F in the fridge.
B. Preheat your oven to 350°F. The walls of that oven should be nice and warm so the cake bakes evenly.
C. Prepare your cake pan(s) by lightly coating with butter or oil, then dusting it with flour. There are sprays you can use, but I read the ingredients in those and shudder.
D. Soften your butter. Try to avoid melting it.
E. Measure and sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder into your “dry” bowl. If it was a cake mix, this would be the box. This means you have them all in one bowl and ready to go. If you noticed that you are using more baking powder in the calendula cake than in the basic cake – good eye! Calendula and most floral teas are acidic. You will need a touch more alkalinity to help the cake rise.
Step 3: Mixing the Batter
A. In a mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter until well blended. Add the eggs and mix until light coloured and well blended. Some places say fluffy, but they will not get fluffy because there is butter in there.
B. If you are using an electric mixer, switch to a spoon. Stir as you add the blended dry ingredients. If you keep on with the mixer you can very easily over mix and the cake will be dense.
C. Now gradually pour in the tea, stirring until you achieve a smooth consistency.
D. If you wish, add the calendula petals to the batter.
Step 4: Baking the Cake
A. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
B. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick or clean knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Check your oven temperature as baking times may vary by oven and even by type of pan the cake is baked in (metal versus glass).
C. Allow the cake to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. If you have a cake cooling rack – put the pan onto it right out of the oven.
Fanciful thought as I do this. Let your come to terms with the fact that it is done with it’s life in the oven and there is this new world to be in. It is emerging from the chrysalis, and like the newly emerged butterfly, there is transition time that you really should not rush. A fancy baker person may tell you things about trapped air and more. I just know that cakes are fluffier if you don’t bang them around right out of the oven.
Step 5: Decoration and Serving
For a simple touch, you could dust with powdered sugar. The “crust” of the cake will be browner than the center so the powdered sugar will show up.
Frosting. Our family is not fond of highly sweet things, but if you want go ahead and top with a buttercream frosting. Mild flavors!
Serve with whipped cream – always a nice option. Vanilla ice cream or even maple yogurt are also nice. You could drizzle with some desert date syrup (not posted yet), or maybe desert lavender honey.
Tools Used
cake pan(s)
liquid measuring cup
small strainer
two bowls
dry measuring cup and spoons
sifter or sieve (optional)
large mixing spoon
rubber spatula to clean bowl
Optional Cake Flavors
Extra flavor. Add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Spend the money and get the good kind with no artificial flavoring or preservatives – otherwise it ruins the delicate flavor of the flowers.
Chocolate Cake. 1 /2 cup cocoa powder (not hot cocoa mix). Because cocoa is alkaline be sure to use only 1 teaspoon fresh baking powder. Chocolate chips can be added, scattered on top of the batter once it is poured into the pan.
Lemon Cake. Please don’t use lemon juice instead of water. Use a tea of lemon zest, or even a lemony flavored herb like lemon balm made into tea. This will need 1 1 /4 teaspoon fresh baking powder. Add some barrel cactus seeds for a yummy crunch.
Other Edible Flowers for Cake. I have made a cake with the red flowers of pineapple sage. The cake was pink with red bits (flowers) scattered through. It was perfect for a Valentines Day party. There are so many other edible flowers – we urge you to experiment!
Thanks for Reading!
“Olde Style” Canning Guide
Ball Brothers has been publishing their “Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving Recipes” for many years. The “modern” USDA doesn’t approve of some of the methods in this copyright expired guide. But. If you are an experienced canner there are some tasty recipes in here to make.
Example. I love the Poached Pears. The Carolina Cole Slaw is also quite good. Disclaimer: This information is provided for your for entertainment purposes only.
This is a downloadable PDF offered for sale on my Gardening With Soule classes site. You may see some other classes in there that interest you.
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Disclaimer
The authors of this website have researched the edibility of the materials we discuss, however, humans vary in their ability to tolerate different foods, drinks, and herbs. Individuals consuming flowers, plants, animals, or derivatives mentioned in this blog do so entirely at their own risk. The authors on this site cannot be held responsible for any adverse reaction. In case of doubt please consult your medical practitioner.
Hi – could you infuse the milk with calendula and use that as a liquid instead of the tea made with water?
Thanks!
Hi Victoria, Great question! As it happens, you certainly could, and maybe even should. If you “scald” your milk, it makes a lighter, fluffier, and less crumbly baked good. Scalding sounds like it gets very hot but it’s only 110F. I am not sure if this is enough to entirely infuse the calendula, but you have given me another thing to try and report back on.