In a stand mixer, beat 230g of room temperature unsalted butter with 500g of sifted icing sugar until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. If your butter is cold, add 1 tablespoon of hot water to help incorporate it smoothly. Gradually blend in 1-2 tablespoons of rose water, the juice of one lemon, and 1 tablespoon of crushed dried edible rose petals. Finally, mix in 120ml of double cream until smooth and firm peaks form.

Set your oven to 170°C (340°F) to preheat while you prepare the cake batter. Grease and flour two round cake pans thoroughly to prevent sticking.

In the stand mixer, sift together 165g of plain flour, 165g of caster sugar, 40g of ground almonds, ½ tablespoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix in 230g of cubed cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Then, add 2 large eggs one at a time, followed by 100ml of buttermilk, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of rose water, and the zest of one lemon. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are well combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 12-25 minutes, depending on the size of your pans. Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Once baked, allow the layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cake layers are completely cool, brush each layer with 2-3 tablespoons of simple syrup mixed with 1 tablespoon of gin for added moisture and flavor. Generously spread a layer of buttercream in between the cakes, then apply a thin crumb coat around the outside. Chill the assembled cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

After chilling, take the cake out and frost the top and sides with more buttercream until completely covered. If you want a light pink hue, add a few drops of food coloring to the buttercream before frosting. Finally, decorate with a sprinkle of crushed edible rose petals.