Description
Persian Love Cake is a delicate and fragrant almond cake infused with lemon zest, cardamom, rosewater, and vanilla, topped with a tangy lemon glaze and garnished with pistachios and dried rose petals. This moist, fragrant dessert is perfect for special occasions or anytime you want to treat yourself to a unique flavor experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 300 g or 1 ½ cup fine granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 170 g or ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon rosewater
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 50 g or ¼ cup flavorless oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (halve if using table salt)
- 3 large eggs
- 145 g or 1 ¼ cup almond flour (not ground almonds, not almond meal)
- 195 g or 1 ½ cups cake flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 120 g or ½ cup kefir or buttermilk
Lemon Glaze and Topping
- 260 g or 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rosewater
- Pistachios for topping
- Dried rose petals for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or alternatively use a baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Zest and sugar: Place the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Zest the lemons directly 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.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add the softened butter, flavorless oil, ground cardamom, rosewater, vanilla extract, and sea salt to the sugar mixture. Attach the paddle attachment and beat starting on low speed, gradually increasing to medium until the mixture is light and airy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add eggs: With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, waiting about 20-30 seconds between each addition to fully incorporate. Scrape down the bowl and beat again until smooth and creamy.
- Add dry ingredients and kefir: On low speed, add the almond flour, cake flour, and baking powder to the mixture. As the mixer runs, slowly pour in the kefir or buttermilk. Mix just until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
- Divide and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, use a cake slicer or bread knife to level off any domed tops; the trimmed pieces can be enjoyed as a snack.
- Prepare lemon glaze: In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with freshly squeezed lemon juice and rosewater until smooth and pourable. Adjust lemon juice to achieve desired consistency.
- Assemble and decorate: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled cakes. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and dried rose petals for an elegant and flavorful finish.
Notes
- Use cake flour for a tender crumb; do not substitute with all-purpose flour without adjustment.
- Make sure butter is softened to room temperature for proper mixing.
- If you don't have kefir or buttermilk, use milk with a teaspoon of lemon juice as a substitute.
- Rosewater is essential for the authentic floral note; use pure rosewater from a reputable source.
- Level the cake tops for an even finish and easier stacking if making a layered cake.
- The trimmed cake domes make a wonderful snack or can be used in trifle recipes.
- Adjust glaze thickness by varying lemon juice amount for drizzling versus spreading.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 10 slices per cake)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
