Persian Love Cake Recipe

Persian Love Cake
(One of 10 Favorite Cakes from Epicurious.com)

This delicious cake starts with candied rose petals. I used a pastry brush to brush on foamy egg whites. Next I sprinkled both sides with sugar and left them to dry overnight. Here in humid TX, it did take all night and most of the next day to completely dry. The petals with loads of sugar came out the best. I used a cake cooling rack to dry them on. Below are my dry petals!

The cake itself was so easy to mix. I used several more eggs, than the original recipe, to make the cake more light and airy.

Here is the saffron whipped frosting. It came out a beautiful soft yellow.

I cut each cake layer in half, applied the sugar syrup, and saffron frosting.

Once the cake was frosted, I placed the candied rose petals and roses on the top.

I made a little extra cake batter to make a few cupcakes for the family. 

We love you GG and Gpa!!

My finished cake. What a fun and unique flavor combination! I brought the cake to our Retrouvaille CORE and Discernment Saturday night. Everyone felt the Love. :)

The original recipe is at: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/howtocook/dishes/cakerecipespersianlove

Or my slightly altered recipe below:

Ingredients:

Candied rose petals
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Petals from 2 organic roses

Cake
1 cup (100g) cake flour
14 tablespoons baker's sugar or superfine sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
6 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon cream of tarter per 1 cup egg whites
6 tablespoons water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon whole cardamom seeds (removed from about 5 green cardamom pods) ground in a pestle and mortar

Frosting
3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
Lg pinch of saffron threads
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons rose water
2 tablespoons natural unsalted pistachios

Sugar Syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 Earl Gray tea bag

Preparation:

Candied rose petals: Whisk egg whites in small bowl until foamy. Using pastry brush, brush rose petals on both sides with egg whites; sprinkle on both sides with sugar.  Dry on nonstick rack at least 6 hours or overnight.

Cake: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line pan bottoms with parchment paper; butter parchment. I used two square 8x8 inch pans with 2 inch high sides.

Sift flour, 7 tablespoons baker's sugar, baking powder, and salt into large bowl. Whisk yolks and next 4 ingredients in small bowl until smooth. Add yolk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk until smooth. Beat egg whites and cream of tarter, in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 7 tablespoons baker's sugar; beat until whites resemble thick marshmallow fluff. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until cakes are golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks, peel off parchment, and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.) Before frosting and cutting the cake layers, chill for 45 minutes.

*Sugar Syrup: Bring water to boil in a small saucepan, add sugar and stir to dissolve. Place tea bag in sugar/water mixture and steep for 15 minutes. Remove tea bag and allow to cool to room temperature.

Frosting: Combine 1/2 cup cream and saffron in small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat; let steep 20 minutes. Chill until cold. Beat remaining 2 1/2 cups cream, powdered sugar, and rose water in large bowl until soft peaks form; strain in saffron cream. Beat until peaks form.

Remove cake from the refrigerator, and cut cake layers in half horizontally. Place first half of cake layer on platter cut side up. Using a pastry brush, brush sugar syrup all over the top of the layer. Next, spread about 1/2 cup frosting on layer.  Repeat with 3 of the cut layers. With the final (4th) cake layer, place flat side up. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Garnish cake with rose petals and pistachios.

*Sugar Syrup is from The Cake Book by Tish Boyle