Persian Love Cake

Looking for a delicious but low carb cake to serve for a special afternoon tea? This Persian Love Cake ticks all the boxes. Persian Love Cake, also known as "Cake-e Asheq" in Farsi, originates from Iran. Its unique and exotic flavour comes from aromatic, fragrant ingredients of rose water and cardamom (sometimes saffron, although I have omitted them here).

Legend has it …

This beautiful cake’s history is seeped in Iranian folklore as exotic as the cake itself! My favourite version tells of a young Persian woman who wanted to enchant a prince and make him fall deeply in love with her. In her quest to capture his heart, she consulted with a wise woman who suggested she gather the most luxurious and fragrant ingredients from the region, like cardamom, rose water, saffron and almonds.

She then created a cake infused with these aromatic spices and flavours that was not only delicious but also magical, said to stir deep emotions of love and desire in whoever tasted it. For our young Persian maiden, it worked; the prince, upon tasting the cake, was instantly captivated by its exquisite flavour and enchanting aroma. He was so overwhelmed by the sensations that he fell deeply in love with her and they lived happily ever after.

Whatever the backstory, this delightful cake can be enjoyed on its own or served with a dollop of cream and berries.

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Persian Love Cake

Author: Lee Newcombe

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min

This is such a delicious cake, you would never know it is low carb!

Ingredients

• 1 ⅓ cup Almond Flour
• ½ cup cream
• 4 Eggs
• ½ cup sweetener
• ½ cup butter, melted
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
• 4 green cardamom pods, crushed
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tsp rose water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ⅓ cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
• Extra toasted pistachios for decoration
• Punnet of strawberries and raspberries, for decoration

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Add almond flour, cream, eggs and sweetener to a bowl and mix with a whisk. Add in the melted butter, lemon juice, zest, cardamom and nutmeg and mix. Finally add in the rose water, vanilla, baking powder and nuts.
3. Prepare a spring from the tin well, by coating the edges with butter.
4. Add mix to the tin and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
5. Let cool.
6. Decorate with remaining pistachios, raspberries, strawberries and cream.