Persian Love Cake

Persian Love Cake

Ingredients:

For The Cake

• 1/2 cup Buckwheat Flour (substitute with any gluten-free mix flour)
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 cup finely ground polenta (“Bramata” used in baking for cake mixes and biscuits. Substitute with a cup of almond meal.)
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 12 whole Cardamom Pods (freshly ground spice is always my first choice, otherwise substitute with 1 teaspoon cardamom powder)
• 2 tablespoons of lemon zest (an unwaxed lemon, Myer Lemon or Bush Lemon)
• A pinch of fine Himalayan salt
• 5 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 2 cups almond milk (room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons rose water (we like Rose Adore – Rose Water)
  
  For The Drizzle Topping
• 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tablespoon rose water (we like Rose Adore – Rose Water)
  
  For The Glaze
• 1 can of coconut cream (and not milk) chilled in the fridge overnight
• 1/4 cup organic maple syrup
• 1½ tablespoons rose water (Rose Adore – Rose Water)
  
  To Decorate
• Edible Rose Petals
• Whole rosebuds (optional)
• Nutrient powder- Star Dust Red “Longevity”
• 2 teaspoons chopped pistachios (optional)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 22cm cake tin (one with a removable base) or line it with baking parchment.
• Melt the coconut oil and combine with the almond milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and rose water in a big bowl. Stir well to combine.
• Place the whole cardamom pods in a mortar and work with a pestle to get the seeds out of the pods. Discard the pods and grind the seeds to a fine powder.
• In a medium bowl, combine buckwheat flour, almond flour, polenta, coconut sugar, baking powder, cardamom, and salt. Mix well to combine. Note: Sift each flour/meal as you add it to the dry mixing bowl. (Use a medium sifter, it works a treat to get rid of any lumps.)
• Gradually incorporate the dry mixture into the wet one using a spatula. Stir well until you reach a homogenous cake mixture free of lumps.
• Pour the cake mixture into your prepared cake tin.
• Bake for around 45 minutes or until cake is lightly brown and a skewer/fork inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Towards the end of the cooking time, make your drizzle topping. Whisk the maple syrup, lemon juice, and rose water in a small bowl.
• Transfer the cake for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack. Place holes all over the top of the warm cake, and drizzle the topping.
• The Persian Love cake transports easily. Once at the picnic site, to make the glaze, open the chilled coconut cream can and scoop the thick layer that has formed on top, and pour into a bowl. Add the maple syrup and rosewater and beat until fluffy and smooth (you can use a standing mixer for a fluffier glaze if serving this at home).
• Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and spread using a spatula.
• To decorate, in a fine sieve add Star Dust “Longevity”. Gently sprinkle the red Star Dust. Finish your Persian Love Cake creation by arranging it with rose petals, and crushed pistachios.
• If you don’t finish this luxurious cake in one sitting, store it for a couple of days in an airtight container.
  Enjoy!

Persian Love Cake in the Bamboo Forrest

Use a fine sieve, and gently dust the red Star Dust “Longevity” nutrient powder. Add another layer of dusting to accentuate it with a pop of colour, creating a “gradient of colour”.