Persian Love Cake Almond (Printable Version)

Aromatic almond cake with cardamom, rosewater icing, and pistachios. Persian-inspired dessert ideal for celebrations.

# What You Need:

→ Cake Base

01 - 2 cups ground almonds (almond meal)
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
03 - 1 cup caster sugar
04 - 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
07 - 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
08 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
11 - 1 tablespoon rosewater

→ Icing & Garnish

12 - 1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
13 - 1-2 tablespoons rosewater
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
15 - 1 tablespoon dried rose petals (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C). Generously butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and caster sugar with electric mixer until pale and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until fully absorbed and mixture is smooth.
04 - Fold in Greek yogurt, fresh lemon zest, and rosewater until evenly distributed throughout batter.
05 - In separate bowl, whisk together ground almonds, flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
06 - Gently fold dry ingredient mixture into wet batter using spatula, mixing only until flour disappears. Do not overmix.
07 - Pour batter into prepared cake pan, smoothing top with offset spatula to ensure even surface.
08 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and wooden skewer inserted into center emerges clean.
09 - Let cake rest in pan for 10 minutes before removing. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely before icing.
10 - Whisk icing sugar with rosewater in small bowl, adding liquid gradually until thick but pourable consistency is achieved.
11 - Drizzle icing over cooled cake, allowing it to drip down sides. Immediately sprinkle with chopped pistachios and rose petals while icing is wet.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of cardamom and rosewater creates an intoxicating aroma that fills your entire kitchen
  • Ground almonds make this cake incredibly moist while keeping it naturally gluten-free friendly
  • That rosewater icing transforms an already special cake into something truly elegant and memorable
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are absolutely crucial here, cold butter or eggs will prevent proper emulsification
  • The cake continues cooking as it cools in the tin, so don't worry if it feels slightly underdone when you first pull it out
  • Fresh cardamom makes a massive difference, those pre-ground jars have often lost their potency
03 -
  • If you can only find salted butter, just reduce the added salt in the recipe by half
  • The cake is done when the top is golden and springs back when gently pressed, don't rely solely on the timer
  • Leftovers freeze beautifully, wrapped well in plastic and then foil, for up to three months

Go Back