Description
Persian Love Cake is a delicate and aromatic almond cake infused with cardamom, lemon zest, rosewater, and vanilla. This moist and fluffy cake is layered and topped with a tangy lemon glaze, crunchy pistachios, and fragrant dried rose petals, making it a perfect dessert for special occasions or a romantic treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 300 g (1 ½ cup) fine granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon rosewater
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 50 g (¼ cup) flavorless oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (halve if using table salt)
- 3 large eggs
- 145 g (1 ¼ cup) almond flour (not ground almonds, not almond meal)
- 195 g (1 ½ cups) cake flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 120 g (½ cup) kefir or buttermilk
- 260 g (2 cups) powdered sugar
- 3–5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rosewater
- Pistachios
- Dried rose petals
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or use a baking spray to grease them evenly.
- Place sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Zest two lemons over the sugar and rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until the texture resembles wet sand, releasing the lemon oils and aroma.
- Add the softened butter, flavorless oil, ground cardamom, rosewater, vanilla extract, and salt to the sugar mixture. Attach the paddle and start beating at low speed, gradually increasing to medium. Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing until the mixture becomes light and airy.
- With the mixer running on medium, add the eggs one at a time, waiting 20-30 seconds between each addition to incorporate fully. Scrape down the sides and beat again until smooth.
- At low speed, add almond flour, cake flour, and baking powder to the mixture. While mixing, slowly pour in the kefir or buttermilk. Mix just until all ingredients are combined, taking care not to overmix to maintain a tender texture.
- Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes after baking, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, level any doming on top by slicing off the ‘hat’ with a cake slicer or bread knife. Save the trimmed parts for a snack.
- In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice (start with 3 tablespoons and add more for desired consistency), and rosewater until smooth and pourable.
- Once cakes are completely cool, drizzle the lemon glaze over the top and sides. Garnish generously with chopped pistachios and dried rose petals for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Persian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 100mg