Persian Love Cake Cupcakes

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12 cupcake moulds in a cupcake/muffin mould.

Step 2

Cream together the sugar, oil and butter until well combined.

Step 3

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing it in before adding the next. Add the rosewater, lemon juice and zest and mix well.

Step 4

Separately, mix together the flour, almond flour, semolina, cardamom, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients part at a time and mix until just combined.

Step 5

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cupcake moulds - they should be around 3/4 full.

Step 6

Bake the cupcakes for around 20-22 minutes until a cocktail stick/toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Step 7

While the cupcakes are baking, mix together the lemon, water and honey. Warm them together so that the honey dissolves (you can do this by putting in the microwave in a small bowl for around 30 seconds, check then if needed a bit longer). Once dissolved, add the crushed saffron and mix then leave to infuse.

Step 8

As soon as the cupcakes are cooked, prick the top of them all over with a cocktail stick/toothpick then carefully drizzle the honey-saffron mixture over them evenly trying to make sure you put about the same on each and that it spreads over the whole of the top. Leave them to cool in the tin a minute then transfer to a cooling rack.

Step 9

Once the cupcakes have cooled, mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice to form a smooth glaze. Finely chop the pistachios and break up the rose petals into small pieces.

Step 10

Drizzle the glaze over the top of each cupcake and top with some pieces of pistachio and rose petals.