3sticksunsalted butterroom temperature, cut into tablespoons
2tablespoonsrosewater
Assembly
1canlychees in syrup20 ounces
Instructions
Rosewater Cake
In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix all the wet ingredients except for the water.
Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then stir in the water. It will be very thin.
Pour into two greased and parchment lined 8” round cake pans and bake at 350F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, about 20-25 minutes.
Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Rosewater Swiss Meringue Buttercream
In the heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch.
Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until it holds stiff (but not dry) and fluffy peaks.
Switch to the paddle attachment. Add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the rosewater until smooth.
Assembly
Drain off the syrup from the lychees. Add the syrup to a small pot and simmer until slightly condensed and thicker (shouldn’t seem too watery).
Roughly chop the lychees.
Using a long serrated knife, trim the domed part of the cake off.
Place a dollop of buttercream in the middle of your serving plate or cake stand, and press one cake layer into it. Drizzle 1 ½ tablespoons of lychee simple syrup over the cake. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on top, then pipe a ring of buttercream on top of the cake just inside the edge.
Add the chopped lychees to the center, then cover the lychees with buttercream. Place your last cake layer on top, bottom side facing up. Drizzle 1 ½ tablespoons lychee simple syrup on top.
Scrape all of the buttercream on top of your cake, and using an off-set spatula, gently shove and smooth the buttercream to the edge of the cake and down the sides. Run your spatula or a bench scraper around the edges of the cake to smooth it out.