Description
Persian Love Cake is an aromatic, beautifully spiced cake that combines the delicate flavors of rose, cardamom, and saffron. It’s moist, fragrant, and utterly delicious, with a texture that is dense yet soft. This cake is perfect for a romantic treat on Valentine’s Day or any time you want to indulge in something special and exotic.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup full-fat yogurt (or sour cream)
- 2 tbsp rose water
- 1 tbsp saffron threads (soaked in 2 tbsp hot water)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 orange
For the Syrup:
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (or orange juice)
For Garnish:
- Rose petals (optional)
- Chopped pistachios (optional)
- Extra saffron strands (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper.
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Make the Cake Batter:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the yogurt, rose water, saffron mixture, vanilla extract, and orange zest, mixing until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
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Bake the Cake:
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Make the Syrup:
- While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the rose water. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
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Drizzle the Syrup:
- Once the cake has cooled completely, drizzle the rose water syrup evenly over the cake. Allow the cake to absorb the syrup for about 10-15 minutes.
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Garnish and Serve:
- Garnish the cake with rose petals, chopped pistachios, and additional saffron strands if desired. Slice and serve!
Notes
- If you don’t have rose water, you can substitute with a small amount of orange blossom water for a similar floral flavor.
- Saffron can be expensive, but it’s the star of this recipe! If you don’t have it, you can omit it, though it does add a lovely color and fragrance to the cake.
- You can make the syrup ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Persian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8th of the cake)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg