Cardamom Rose Cake
There is nothing like a slice of cake with a cup of tea. Especially on a weekday, at around 3.00 PM, at the end of homeschool day, when everyone including the 9-month-old is going a bit stir crazy. This cardamom rose cake is what I need. It is aromatic and so wonderful. My whole house smells amazing when I bake this cake.
The aromatic pairing of cardamom and rose is incredible. It pleasing without being overwhelming. I understand rose can sometimes feel perfumey, the key is to be light-handed (little goes a long way). The floral notes pop in this loaf, it is spectacular when combined with cardamom and olive oil.
Key Ingredient for cardamom rose cake
This cardamom rose cake takes inspiration from Persian Love Cake by Yasim Khan. I skipped the almond meal and instead used a lemon yogurt cake as a base to create this loaf. While testing the recipe, I played around with oils and butter, I ultimately loved this version with olive oil. It really works well to enhance the aromatic combination of cardamom and rose. I have also used a whole cup of Greek yogurt in this loaf, which is more than your traditional lemon yogurt loaf, but it helps keep the cake very moist.
How do you cook with rose water and dried rose petals? And what is the difference?
Rosewater is widely used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, it adds a subtle floral notes to both savoury and sweet recipes. I find it is best to start with a little, I usually half what most recipes call for because it can quickly become quite overwhelming. While rosewater is great in desserts I love it in savoury recipes like biryani. It adds a certain je ne sais quoi, that is hard to miss.
Dried Rose Petals is best used as a garnish. It looks pretty topped on desserts. I also like it in my tea. it steeps with other spices and adds a floral touch to my masala chai. I would not recommend mixing it into the batter or cooking with it. The most important thing is that it cannot replace rosewater in a recipe (don't mix the two).
I have baked this cake many times, both while recipe testing and otherwise. Each time, it was promptly devoured by my husband and my six-year-old old. They generally prefer flavours like chocolate or vanilla so watching them enjoy this loaf counts for something. This cardamom rose cake is also great for a special occasion like Valentine's day or for whenever you want to brighten up your day.
If you like other baking ideas checkout out this delicious Brown Butter Chocolate Chip cookies recipe.
Cardamom Rose Loaf
This Cardamom Rose Loaf is bright, floral, and deeply aromatic. Cardamom and rose pair beautifully with olive oil and lemon zest to create a moist, tender loaf that feels special any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 8–10 cardamom pods, crushed (about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground cardamom)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons rosewater
- ½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
- ¾ cup (100 g) icing sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2–3 tablespoons (15–20 g) raw shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon crushed dried rose petals
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9×4-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment.
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Crush cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle. Discard shells and grind the seeds to a coarse powder.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar with lemon zest and crushed cardamom. Rub together with your fingertips until fragrant. Whisk in Greek yogurt, eggs, olive oil, lemon juice, and rosewater until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 40–50 minutes, until golden, edges pull slightly from the pan, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- To make the glaze, mix icing sugar with lemon juice until pourable. Pour over the cooled cake and top with pistachios and dried rose petals. Slice and enjoy.
Notes
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
