Italian Rose Cake

This Italian Rose Cake also known as La Torta di Rosa, is a soft and delicious leavened sweet bread that is filled with a sugar and butter filling. It is thought to resemble a bouquet of roses. It makes a perfect show stopping delight for a Holiday brunch or special occasion.

In the world of Italian baking, there are many treasures that are waiting to be discovered from the renowned Tiramisu, Cannoli and of course the ever popular Crostata. But another that shouldn’t be missed is this Torta di Rosa, a delicate and captivating dessert that translates to “Rose Cake.”

Recipe Ingredients

• Flour – I used Italian 00 flour
• Sugar – granulated sugar
• Yeast – active dry yeast
• Eggs – room temperature
• Milk – 2% or whole milk
• Butter – salted butter
• Zest – lemon or orange zest, I used orange zest
• Vanilla – vanilla extract
• Salt – if you use unsalted butter then add a bit more salt

I let the dough rise the first time overnight in the fridge, which makes the dough more flavorful and easier to roll out, although if you prefer you could do the 2nd rise in the fridge instead. Let them come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before baking. Chilling the dough overnight also makes it perfect for fresh buns for brunch!

How to make an Italian Rose Cake

In a small bowl mix together the milk and a bit of sugar, sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit until frothy then mix together.

In the stand mixer add the flour, zest, remaining sugar, salt, eggs vanilla and yeast mixture, knead on low speed then increase the speed and knead for up to 7 minutes.

Add the butter and knead again until the dough stops sticking to the side of the bowl and is soft, smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl to rise, I let the dough rise overnight in the fridge. If not you can let the dough rise in a warm draft free area until doubled in bulk.

In a medium bowl beat the sugar and butter until creamy.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured flat surface into a rectangle. Spread the sugar and butter mixture evenly over the dough.

Roll up length wise, cover and refrigerate, this will make the dough easier to cut.

Cut into 11 slices, I placed 7 in a round cake pan and the remaining 4, I placed in a loaf pan.

Cover and let rise until doubled.

Bake until golden and baked through. Let cool or serve warm. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Origin of the Rose Cake

The rose cake is a typical dessert of the Mantuan culinary tradition, the province of Mantua is a province in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy. Its historical origins date back to the end of the 15th century, the rose cake was in fact created on the occasion of the wedding between Francesco II of Gonzaga and Isabella D’Este, it was so cherished by all the lords of the time that from that moment it became part of the gastronomic culture of Mantua and is still made today according to the ancient recipe.

The rose cake is made with a leavened brioche dough, spread with a rich filling of butter and sugar, which is then rolled into the characteristic shape of a basket of rose buds which gives its name to this tasty dessert.

Variations

You can enrich the rose cake with a thin layer of jam. You can flavor the butter mixture used for the filling with a little vanilla extract if desired.

Expert Tips For Making Rose Cake Dough

• Temperature of ingredients: For your yeast to activate properly, both your milk and egg need to be at room temperature. The ideal temperature of your warm milk should be around 105-110°F. Your butter needs to be softened but not melted. 
• Soft and tacky dough: Don’t keep adding flour if you find that the cinnamon bun dough feels slightly sticky to the touch. While the dough shouldn’t stick all over your hands, it also should not be dry and floury either.
• Roll dough out onto a greased surface: This helps the dough stay soft without adding any extra flour to it, or use a light sprinkle of flour.
• Avoid over rising your rolls: During the 2nd rise, only let the cake rise until doubled in size which should take about 2 hours but may be faster if your house is warmer. Too high of a rise and your rolls actually might lose height and texture during the baking process.
• Leave space between the rolls: When placing the buns in the pan, plan accordingly for them to get puffy and expand. I like to place them about a ½-1 inch apart. 

Recipe FAQs

How to store the cake

The cake is best served fresh out of the oven while still warm! Store leftovers covered tightly in plastic wrap or an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Adding a few slices of bread to the container or dish may help them stay softer and prevent them from drying out.

You can also store the rolls covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Like many yeast breads, though, the cooler air from the fridge will dry them out a bit. To achieve soft rolls again with a fresh baked taste, try buttering the sides of the rolls before warming them up in the microwave. 

More Italian Christmas Recipes

• Panettone
• Pandoro Italian Christmas Cake
• Homemade Panforte

So if you are looking for a delicious and interesting recipe to make this Holiday Season or anytime really I hope you give this Italian Rose Cake / Torta di Rosa a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!