Description
Persian Love Cake is a fragrant and tender almond cake infused with cardamom, lemon zest, rosewater, and vanilla. This moist cake is layered with a tangy lemon glaze and beautifully topped with crushed pistachios and dried rose petals, making it a perfect elegant dessert for special occasions or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 300 g (1 ½ cups) fine granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 50 g (¼ cup) flavorless oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon rosewater
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 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
Glaze and Topping
- 260 g (2 cups) powdered sugar
- 3-5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rosewater
- Pistachios, chopped (for topping)
- Dried rose petals (for topping)
Instructions
- Prepare Pans and Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, or alternatively, use a baking spray to grease them thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Infuse Sugar with Lemon Zest: Place the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Grate the zest of two lemons directly over the sugar. Use your fingers to rub and mix the zest into the sugar until the texture looks like wet sand, which helps release the lemon oils for maximum flavor.
- Cream Butter, Oil, and Flavorings: Add the softened butter, flavorless oil, ground cardamom, rosewater, vanilla extract, and salt to the bowl. Attach the paddle attachment and beat starting on low speed, gradually increasing to medium. Scrape down the sides as needed and continue beating until the mixture becomes light and airy.
- Add Eggs Gradually: With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, waiting 20-30 seconds between each addition to incorporate fully. Scrape the bowl as necessary and continue beating until the batter is smooth and consistent.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Kefir: In a separate bowl, combine almond flour, cake flour, and baking powder. Add these dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed. As the mixer stirs, slowly pour in the kefir or buttermilk. Mix just until combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
- Divide Batter and Bake: Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops to ensure even baking and prevent doming. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, carefully slice off any domed tops with a cake slicer or bread knife. The removed ‘hats’ can be enjoyed as a snack.
- Prepare Lemon Glaze: In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice (start with 3 tablespoons and add more as needed for consistency), and rosewater until smooth and pourable.
- Assemble and Decorate: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled cake layers. Sprinkle chopped pistachios and dried rose petals on top for a beautiful finishing touch.
Notes
- This cake is known for its delicate almond flavor paired with aromatic cardamom and fragrant rosewater.
- Use almond flour specifically, not almond meal, for the lightest texture.
- To prevent overmixing, combine dry ingredients and kefir on low speed just until incorporated.
- Adjust lemon juice in the glaze to your preferred tartness and consistency.
- The rose petals and pistachios add an elegant and authentic Persian flair to the presentation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
