Persian Love Cake

Method

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1. Heat the oven to 170°C / 340°F and grease and line a 23 cm round cake tin.

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2. Beat the butter and sugar for 4 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

3. Mix the ground almonds, flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt. Fold into the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the yoghurt.

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4. Stir in the orange zest, saffron water and rose water.

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5. Spoon into the tin, level the top and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

   Mark done Start 35 min timer

6. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, at least 1 hour.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

7. Whisk the icing sugar, lemon juice and rose water into a thin glaze, drizzle over the cake and scatter with the pistachios and rose petals.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Add the rose water a tablespoon at a time and taste. Too much tastes of soap.
• Use ground almonds, not almond flour that has been heavily blanched. The skins add flavour and moisture.
• Cover with foil if the top browns too fast. The cake is dense and takes a while.

Pairing Suggestions

• Cardamom tea
• Whipped cream
• Fresh raspberries

Storage & Reheating

Keep covered at room temperature up to 4 days. It improves after a day. Freezes for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.