Rose Cardamom Cake

I’ve baked a lot of desserts over the years, but this is hands-down my favorite. It combines all my favorite flavours (rose, cardamom, orange), in a decadent yet light cake.

Ingredients:

Cake

• 6 tbs ghee or butter, melted

• 6 tbs olive oil

• 1 cup sugar

• 5 eggs

• 1 cup yogurt

• 2 tbs rose water

• 2 tsp cardamom powder

• 1 cup almond flour

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup semolina flour (this is the one I use)

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 pinch salt

• 3 tbs almonds, thinly sliced

Syrup

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/3 cup orange juice

• 2 tbs rose water

• 1/2 tsp saffron

To decorate

• 2 tbs pistachios, slivered

• Dried rose petals

Method:

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

2. Line a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper on the bottom and grease well with butter.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the oil and ghee together. Add the sugar and whisk until creamy.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time whisking well after each addition.

5. Next add the yogurt and whisk it into a fluffy mixture.

6. Mix in the rose water and cardamom.

7. In a separate bowl, sift together the almond flour, all purpose flour, semolina flour, baking powder, and salt.

8. Add the flour to the liquids, mixing well.

9. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.

10. Scatter the almond slices all over the cake batter.

11. Bake for 40 minutes until it is golden on the top and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Syrup

1. While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup.

2. Combine the honey and orange juice in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.

3. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the rose water and saffron and turn off the heat.

Final step

1. Using a thin wooden skewer, poke fine holes all over the cake.

2. Pour the warm syrup over the warm cake and decorate with slivered pistachios and rose petals.

3. Let the syrup soak in for a few hours and then enjoy!