I haven’t been present on social media for a while now as we were in the middle of a kitchen remodel that began December 4, 2023, and was recently completed.  Being without a kitchen during the holidays wasn’t much fun, I know, but knowing once the demo was done, I was going to have a pretty sweet kitchen (eye on the prize).

Last year we purchased a house that was built in 1900.  As soon as I stepped through the front door I could see the potential and knew this was going to be our new home.

Fast forward to a year later, and here we are with a newly remodeled kitchen and dining room.  I will be doing a post of the before and after pictures at a later date.  Oh, and the cookbook that I’ve been working on for the past few years is very close to being complete…yes!!!

This cake is not the first bake in my new kitchen.  Our grandson Seth turned 15 on February 2nd and requested a vanilla cake with chocolate icing.  So there you have it, first bake.  Did I say he turned 15????  Where does the precious time go?!

On to this cake recipe, and a little story behind it.  The exact origin story of Persian Love Cake is unknown. One theory, suggests it’s a well traveled adaptation of the Portuguese Love Cake, Bolo di Amor, which in the 16th century was transformed by Sri Lankans into a semolina cake often served at Christmastime. From there the cake eventually made its way to Iran, where it evolved further with the addition of rosewater, a flavoring very familiar to the Middle Eastern palette.  Once in Iran, the story became a legend stating that it came about when a young Persian woman fell in love with a prince. To make him fall in love with her, she baked him a cake infused with aromatic spices and rose water.

Regardless of how this beautifully flavored dessert began, Persian love cake is a lovely addition to your repertoire of cake recipes. With nutty almond flour, a not-too-sweet citrus glaze, and aromatic spices, this sophisticated dessert is tempting for sure.  You will want to make it over and over again!

Ingredients for cake:

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Add the lemon and orange zest to the granulated sugar.  Work zests into the sugar to infuze the flavor. Set aside.

Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and beat on medium-high, until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).  Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl about halfway through.

Add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time. Mix each until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition.  Add the yogurt and beat again until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the lemon and orange juice, and the rosewater. Mix again.

Sift the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, and ground cardamom into a large mixing bowl.  Add the almond flour and whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the batter becomes thick and cohesive, scraping down the sides of the bowl when needed.  Do not overmix!

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Use a small offset spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Leave the cake to cool in the cake pan for 5 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack, remove the parchment and leave it to cool completely, about 1 hour.  Transfer to a cake plate or serving platter to glaze.