Description
This Persian Love Cake is a beautifully fragrant and moist almond cake infused with cardamom, lemon zest, rosewater, and vanilla. It features a tender crumb made from almond and cake flours, enriched with kefir for extra softness. The cake is topped with a delicate lemon glaze, crushed pistachios, and dried rose petals, making it an elegant dessert perfect for special occasions or tea time.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 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
- 3 large eggs
- 145 g or 1 ¼ cup almond flour
- 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, crushed, for topping
- Dried rose petals for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 325 Fahrenheit. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or use a baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Zest Sugar: Place the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and zest the lemons directly over the sugar. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers until the mixture feels like wet sand, releasing the citrus aroma.
- Cream Butter and Flavors: Add the softened butter and flavorless oil to the sugar mixture along with the ground cardamom, rosewater, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Attach the paddle attachment and beat starting on low speed, gradually increasing to medium until the mixture is light and airy, scraping the bowl down as needed.
- Add Eggs Gradually: With the mixer running on medium, add the eggs one at a time, pausing 20-30 seconds between each addition to allow full incorporation. Scrape down the bowl once more and beat until smooth and uniform.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the almond flour, sifted cake flour, and baking powder, then pour in the kefir or buttermilk as it mixes. Stir just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fill Pans and Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops gently with a spatula to ensure even baking. Bake in the preheated oven until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
- Cool Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Trim and Layer: Once cool, use a cake slicer or bread knife to trim off any small domed tops to create flat surfaces. Save the trimmed pieces as a snack.
- Prepare Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice (start with 3 tablespoons), and rosewater until smooth. Adjust lemon juice to achieve desired glaze consistency.
- Assemble and Decorate: Drizzle the lemon glaze over the cooled cakes. Sprinkle crushed pistachios and dried rose petals generously on top for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Using fine almond flour is important for the cake’s tender texture; avoid coarse almond meal.
- Make sure the butter is softened, not melted, for proper creaming with sugar.
- If you don’t have kefir or buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to ½ cup milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- The cake pairs beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee, making it an excellent choice for afternoon gatherings.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
