persian love cake

Persian Love Cake: a fragrant rose cake flavored with freshly ground cardamom and almond flour, and topped with crushed pistachios and rose petals.

Persian Love Cake (Cardamom, Almond, &amp; Rose Cake)

salted butter, room temperature

vegetable (or canola) oil

eggs, room temperature

sugar

lemon

lemon juice (also about 1 lemon)

rose water

vanilla extract

all-purpose flour

cardamom

baking powder

salt

milk

pistachios

rose petals

ginger

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8&#8243; cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a standing mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter, oil, eggs, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in lemon zest, lemon juice, rose water, and vanilla extract.

Turn speed to low and add in flour, almond flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt until just mixed.

Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cake is lightly brown on top and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before making the glaze.

To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar, rose water, and whole milk in a microwave-safe bowl and whisk to combine (glaze will be very thick). Microwave for 10-15 seconds to thin out mixture, then pour over cooled cake.

Sprinkle crushed pistachios and rose petals (and candied ginger, if using). Serve!

Just adding to my previous rave review: what quantities would I use for a 10 inch cake tin and a 12 inch tin? This is for a wedding cake. Would I use 1.5 quantities (extra half quantity) of everything for a 12 inch tin? How long would I bake it for?

Made this cake yesterday and it was so delicious. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. The cake was light a fluffy with the essence of rose and cardamom. It’s perfect paired with a coffee or hot tea. Will absolutely make this again in the future.

Someone brought this over for dessert and we LOVED it! With Passover around the corner, I'm wondering if it can be made just with almond flour (no regular flour) and how that would impact the amount to be used. Also, can it be made non-dairy? (the glaze would be simple because I could substitute a nut milk for the milk, but I'm wondering what I could use in place of the butter in the batter that would provide adequate moisture/fat to the cake? Thanks

When I was making the cake I was concerned about the amount of rosewater - 2 tbsp in the batter AND a tbsp in the glaze seemed like a lot. But it works! Mine sank a bit in the middle - but I think that's my fault trying to take it out of the pan sooner than I should have. This cake is SERIOUSLY delicious - and it keeps well. I made it 3 days ago and I'm enjoying a slice right now that is just as tasty as the day I baked it.

This was super easy and absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe and baked it in a bundt pan, adding 20 minutes to the baking time. Came out perfect. I will definitely be making this again.

This cake is SO GOOD. Fragrant, flavorful and moist. The only thing I’d change the next time I make this is the icing. It was a bit too sweet.

Looks amazing and can't wait to try.   I have one question.  Is it possible to make this egg free?

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/O0P7OJhz.mp4

Persian Love Cake

Absolutely fantastic cake. All the flavors are balanced perfectly, no soap weirdness here. My family loved it so much they ate two of these in two days.

This recipe is amazing. Scored me best dish at our Persian-themed Thanksgiving potluck at work. Thank you 🙏🏼

I have made this cake over 100 times and every time I can’t believe how absolutely yummy it tastes. My entire family loves it and always ask for it. The cake is simply perfect just the way it is

Hi 
Loved the cake. However my icing wasn’t white or thick like yours. It was clearish colour. 
Can you help?

Turned out raw in the middle even after testing with scewer  and tasted too strong of rose water really disappointed ☹️

Phenomenal! I am a relatively accomplished amateur baker and I cannot say enough about this exceptional cake. It was love at first sight for my family. It jumped up to the top three list. I make it with gluten-free flour so it is completely gluten-free. I’ll double the amount of rose, sometimes even triple in the cake and icing because we really like rose flavor. And I don’t heat up the glaze or use the candied ginger. But it is an amazing recipe. The only annoying thing are the incessant ads that actually make it difficult to read the measurements because they pop up over it. But that has nothing to do with the cake.

This was described as "Turkish delight in a cake" (as someone who adores cardamon and floral flavours, I LOVED this cake and would take this comment as high praise)! It is a "risqué" cake to bring to a party, however, as rose water is a "love it or hate it" kind of a flavour. I think the cake would be a tad dry without the glaze, so I definitely wouldn't remove it, however this is THE BEST cake to have with a cup of masala chai (aka "chai tea").

This is the most beautiful cake I have ever made! It also was delicious and a huge hit for both my book group and my husband’s guys night (made 2 cakes). Rave reviews from everyone. It did need to bake longer than expected, but I did have to sub vegan butter due to lactose intolerance and a little gluten-free flour because I ran out of regular flour, so it might have been my subs that changed the baking time. I also used fuschia petals (also edible) instead of roses because it was what I had blooming. Thank you for this recipe. I will definitely make it again!

This is a really lovely cake! I made this for my partner who always requests Persian Love Cake on his birthday. This is the best recipe I have found for this cake! I made a few adjustments, since my partner has a dairy allergy. 

1. I swapped the butter for vegan butter (mikonos brand) - this worked great! Since it melts really quickly, I let it soften but not come completely to room temp. 
2. I reduced the glaze to 1 cup of powdered sugar and adjusted the other ingredients accordingly since I was worried it would be too sweet. I also added lemon juice and zest to balance the sweetness as well. 
3. I cooked the cake in a 9inch round cake pan since that is what I had! Worked great. I did have to cook for about 45 minutes but that is likely because my oven is funny (I suspect it is very uncalibrated). It was golden brown on the edges but not in the center. Next time I would cook maybe 5 min less and see if that would make the cake even more moist.

Recipe video above. A beautiful Persian cake with a lovely subtle citrus flavour and hint of spice. For an authentic Persian flavour, don't skip the rosewater! They differ in strength so start with a small amount and adjust to your taste - too much can be overpowering.&nbsp;

(200 grams) almond meal ((almond flour))

(165 grams) semolina

tbsp baking powder

nutmeg

/ 8 tbsp unsalted butter (, at room temperature)

(150 grams) brown sugar (, packed)

(150 grams) white sugar

eggs

(250 grams) plain yoghurt

orange

(85 ml) lemon juice

(70 grams) white sugar

tsp+ rosewater ((adjust to taste, start with less))

Preheat oven 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan). Grease and line a 22cm/9" cake pan.

Mix almond meal, semolina, baking powder, nutmeg and cardamon in bowl.

Beat butter and both sugars with an electric beater until incorporated. Add eggs, beat until smooth. Then add yoghurt and orange zest, beat until smooth.

Add dry ingredients. Stir until mixed through.

Pour into pan, smooth surface. Scatter over pistachios.

Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Poke 30 - 40 holes all over the cake using a skewer (poke all the way through). Pour warm syrup over while cake still hot. Leave to soak for 1 hour+ before removing from pan. Cool then slice to serve.

Pictured decorated with dried rose petals. Alternative: no decorations (pistachios alone look great!), dust with icing / confectionary sugar, of a Lemon Glaze (use this one)

Place ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer and stir to dissolve sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes. Keep warm (or reheat) for pouring.

Syrup:

Made this last weekend. Came out perfect. I found that cake tasted much better following day. Next time will try mix of lemon and orange for the syrup! Thanks for sharing it.

I have made this many times. It's such a favourite and always impresses!

Outstanding! I added a thick lemon sugar glaze. A keeper :) Thanks :)

This cake is absolutely delicious, very similar texture and taste to Indian halwa! As others had suggested in their comments, I used orange juice in place of lemon juice.

I substituted buckwheat flour and it worked well.

Delish! Thank you Nagi for your hard work!

I made this with just using a whisk and turned out fine. Instead of semolina, I used gluten free flour. I also subbed half of the butter with olive oil, and used dairy free yogurt. 

Maybe next time I'll try it with a little more syrup and use orange juice as well as the lemon juice.  Such a flavorful cake with a beautiful texture. Everyone loved it!

I've made this recipe a couple of times and it's wonderful! :) A very nice cake to give as a gift.

Learned the hard way not to open oven at any stage in baking because my first try did collapse a bit due to my 'checking', second try hands off was perfect.

Has anyone made this as muffins or cupcakes? I'd love to try baking in muffin tray but afraid of ruining it!

I’ve made this cake several times and it never fails. I substitute the semolina with GF flour and have used both lemon and orange juice in the syrup. Both delicious. I think hazelnut meal might also work as a substitute for almond meal.

I heard about Bake Even Cake Strips preventing the sinking of cakes. 
So I wrapped a couple of damp socks around the outside of my baking tin and it worked - flat top ! Have done this successfully twice - I think I’m on a winner! 
And of course Nagi’s recipe is perfection. This cake is requested by my husband whenever we have guests over.

My absolute favourite cake. I have to find a replacement for the semolina to make it gluten-free. Someone suggested buckwheat flour, but that may be too strong a flavour. Also, if I wanted to replace the almonds with a different nut, which would be best? Walnuts, cashews and pistachios are used in Middle Eastern food. Would any work?

I made this cake as the dessert for a middle eastern themed lunch. I used a Bundt tin to avoid the collapse that others had mentioned in their reviews. Cooked for 50 minutes, it could have possibly had 5 minutes less. Very tasty and looks quite impressive. I decorated with dried rose petals, pistachios and served with honeyed yogurt.

This traditional Persian Love Cake is the foolproof cake everyone raves about—moist, fluffy, and fragrant. A mix of almond meal and regular flour keeps it tender, while rose-infused notes give it that dreamy, unforgettable flavor. Read the reviews; it’s loved around the world for a reason, and you only need 20 minutes of prep.

Soft And Moist Persian Love Cake

butter (unsalted, room temperature)

sugar (granulated)

eggs (medium, room temperature)

yogurt (3% fat, room temperature)

tsp cardamom (seeds from fresh pods, ground)

vanilla extract (pure)

rose water (pure)

flour (all purpose)

almond meal (not almond flour)

tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 325°F. With a stand mixer using the whisk attachment or an electric hand whisk, blend the butter, sugar, eggs, and yogurt for 1-2 minutes on medium speed.

Add the cardamom, vanilla, and rose water, whisking for 30 seconds on medium speed.

Introduce the flour, almond meal, and baking powder, continuing to whisk for 1 minute. Begin at low speed, then progress to medium and high speeds. Midway through, scrape down the sides with a spatula, ensuring thorough mixing for another minute until well combined. Whisk again for a couple of minutes until you have a smooth batter.

Prepare a 6-inch cake pan by greasing and lining it with parchment paper. Pour the cake batter into the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Place the cake in the oven on the middle or lower shelf at 325°F for 60-70 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a skewer or fork; it should come out clean.

Once baked, immediately remove the cake from the pan to prevent further cooking. Let it cool before slicing the top to achieve a level surface.

Cake

For the glaze, combine powdered sugar, rose water, and milk. Carefully drizzle the glaze over the cake. Adorn with dried rose petals and chopped pistachios before serving.

Glaze &amp; Decoration

I made this cake for my birthday recently and it's absolutely divine! I was a little concerned that the texture would be too grainy because of the almond flour, but it wasn't at all - very similar to a poundcake, with a fine tight crumb.  The size of the cake is perfect and the prep is a breeze. 
I'm constitutionally incapable of not tinkering with a recipe, so I did add some lemon zest to the cake and some saffron and nutmeg to the glaze. I will definitely be making this cake again soon.  Thank you for this delicious and reliable recipe!

This turned out perfect! I’ll be using these measurements  and recipe for my basic vanilla cake from now on! Perfectly moist and light! I didn’t have a circular pan available so made in a larger loaf tin and it was super! 

I made this beautiful and oh-so-tasty cake for the Persian new year and it came out perfect! It was very easy to make and follow the instructions. The flavour combo of cardamom and rose water were delicious and this cake will definitely be part of my regular cake rotation! Thank you Shahzadi!

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1701797405/n66rwx9mlfpff3ngtv1k.mp4

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Top 5 persian love cake recipes from across the web

The most viewed persian love cake recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Soft And Moist Persian Love Cake

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