Servings
Font
Back
0.0 from 0 votes

Persian love cake (Kayk-e Eshgh)

The Persian love cake (Kayk-e Eshgh) is flavored with rose, cardamom and almond powder, and garnished with pistachios and rose petals.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Resting Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 533 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Persian , Iranian

Ingredients

For the cake
  • ½ cup salted butter , at room temperature
  • 2 medium-sized eggs , at room temperature
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • ½ cup buttermilk , at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground green cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 lemon zest , organic
  • 2 teaspoons rose water
  • 1¼ cup all-purpose flour , sifted
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 pinch baking soda
  • butter , for the mold
  • flour , for the mold
For the icing and decoration
  • ⅔ cup icing sugar
  • 1½ tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon rose water
  • dried edible rose petals
  • raw pistachios , crushed
Equipment
  • Stand mixer
  • Spatula
  • springform pan , 8 inches / 20 cm in diameter
  • Wire rack

Instructions

Cake
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180°C).
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the butter, sugar, eggs and buttermilk at medium speed for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the cardamom, pure vanilla extract, rose water and whisk for 30 seconds at low speed.
  4. In a bowl, combine the flour, almonds flour, baking soda, and baking powder and stir in at low speed.
  5. Whisk on medium speed for 1 minute then on high speed for another 1 minute.
  6. Between each change of speed, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and whisk until all the ingredients are combined.
  7. Butter and flour an 8-inch (20 cm) diameter springform pan and pour in the batter.
  8. Tap the mold 3 times against the worktop to expel any air bubbles. Using a spatula, even out the top if necessary.
  9. Bake on the center rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Carefully unmold the cake on a wire rack and let it cool for 1 hour 30 minutes before possibly slicing the top to obtain a very flat surface.
  11. The cake should be unmolded immediately after removing the mold from the oven so that the baking is stopped and it does not dry out.
Icing and decor
  1. Combine the icing sugar, rose water and milk.
  2. Immediately and gently pour the icing over the cake.
  3. Sprinkle with dried rose petals and crushed pistachios.
  4. Eat immediately or store the Persian love cake in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, or longer if stored in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • The position of the oven rack is important: the love cake must be precisely in the middle of the oven so that it is soft and perfectly baked. Whenever possible, use freshly ground cardamom pods with a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. This is the most traditional method which gives it its characteristic flavor. Otherwise, use store-bought cardamom powder. Do not open the oven door before the final step to check the baking of the cake.