Persian love cake
By Sari Huhtala
I’ve made a lot of healthy birthday cakes in my time, but this one has officially won the hearts of all my family members. With a delicate hint of roses and cardomom, this cake, made with ground almonds and spelt, is a gluten-friendly alternative for cake lovers.
Persian love cake
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups spelt flour
- ½ cup fine ground almonds or almond flour
- ½ cup soft coconut oil
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp rose water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, combine coconut oil, eggs, olive oil and coconut sugar and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add lemon zest, rose water, vanilla and lemon juice and blend. Grind almonds into a flour (if using whole raw almonds). Add almond flour, spelt, cardamom, baking powder and salt and mix just enough to blend thoroughly.
Pour batter into an 8” cake pan lined with parchment paper, or well greased with coconut oil. Bake approximately 40 minutes or until lightly golden. Test with toothpick inserted in centre. If it comes out clean, it’s ready.
Cool completely then glaze with a rose water icing, and for an added touch of love, sprinkle dried rose petals (or fresh ones in season) and chopped pistachios on top. PS. Harvest wild rose petals during the summer months and lay out to dry in a non-humid area. Then store in a sealed jar for use throughout the year.
Glaze ingredients
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 1 ½ cups organic icing sugar
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until creamy.
