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BlogRecipes

Persian Love Cake

byAmanda Sudano Ramirez and Abner Ramirez
Total 1 hour and 30 minutes
Active 30 mins
Makes 8 to 10 servings
fromPreserved Lemon ChickenIn the Kitchen with Abner and Amanda
Ingredients
  • Cake
    • 2 3/4 cups fine almond flour
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
    • 3/4 cup honey
    • Zest of 1 1/2 limes
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
    • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 teaspoon rose water
  • Icing
    • 1 cup powdered sugar, plus more as needed
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • Frosting
    • 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 tablespoon minced preserved lemons
    • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Toppings
    • 1/2 cup pistachios, finely chopped
    • Edible flower petals
    Directions
    1. To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter. Cut out two 9-inch rounds of parchment paper and place one on the bottom of each pan.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined and no lumps remain. Set aside.
    3. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, honey, lime zest, and cardamom until all ingredients are fully mixed together. Beat in 1 egg at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the yogurt and rose water.
    4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
    5. Remove the cake from the oven. Gently run a knife along the edges of the pans and invert them onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
    6. Meanwhile, make the icing: In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar and lime juice and stir until smooth. The icing should be pourable but still stiff enough to cling to the cake. If the icing is too stiff add water a teaspoon at a time, and if it is too liquid add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time.
    7. To make the frosting: In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and whisk until fully incorporated. Beat in the preserved lemon and vanilla.
    8. To assemble the cake, cut off the tops of both cakes to level. Place one cake cut-side down on a platter, spread the frosting over top of the cake, place the other cake cut-side down on the frosting. Drizzle the icing over the cake to coat the entire top and drip down the sides. Top with pistachios and flower petals.

    Meet The Creator

    Amanda Sudano Ramirez and Abner Ramirez

    Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano Ramirez are LA-based singer-songwriters and parents of three who love to collaborate, bond, and have fun together in the kitchen. The duo embraces the joys and challenges of cooking while juggling family life.

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