Name: Persian love cake recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 250g butter, at room temperature; 285g caster sugar; 1 lemon, zested, juiced; 3 eggs; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 185g self-raising flour; 100g almond meal; 2 tsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp baking powder; 80ml milk; 40.00 ml chopped pistachios, toasted; 40.00 ml dried rose petals; 300g icing sugar mixture; 20.00 ml rosewater; 20.00 ml milk

by Amira Georgy Last updated on 01/10/2023

You will fall in love with this easy Persian love cake. Rumour has it that a woman was trying to get a prince to fall in love with her and so she made this cake to try and convince him. No one knows quite what happened, but I’m sure there was not a crumb to spare. - Amira Georgy

Ingredients

250g butter, at room temperature
285g caster sugar
1 lemon, zested, juiced
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
185g self-raising flour
100g almond meal
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
80ml milk
2 tbsp chopped pistachios, toasted
2 tbsp dried rose petals

Glaze

300g icing sugar mixture
1 tbsp rosewater
1 tbsp milk

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Grease and line a 20cm round cake pan with baking paper.
Step 2

Use an electric mixer to beat butter, sugar and lemon zest for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined between each addition. Add vanilla and lemon juice and beat until just combined.
Step 3

Add flour, almond meal, cardamom, baking powder and milk and beat on low speed until just combined. Spoon into prepared pan and level top. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4

To make glaze, combine ingredients in a medium bowl until a spreadable icing forms.
Step 5

Place cake on a serving platter. Spread over icing allowing the icing to drip around the side. Sprinkle with pistachio and rose petals. Serve (see note).