Vegan Persian Baklava Cake

Love trumps hate; let’s eat cake and celebrate.

Today, I celebrate for women. Today, I celebrate for immigrants. Today, I celebrate for refugees. Today, I celebrate for children. Today, I celebrate for Black lives. Today, I celebrate for democracy. Today, I celebrate for science. Today, I celebrate for breaking barriers. Today, I celebrate for human decency.

For me, this U.S. presidential election was not about politics but about ethics. I am not a Republican or a Democrat. I am not partisan. But I could and would never vote for someone who ordered the separation of children from their parents. Someone who effectively orphaned hundreds of migrant children. Someone who refused to condemn white supremacy. Someone who failed to lead this country through this pandemic. Someone who called climate change a hoax. Someone who led by hate, callousness, name calling, and arrogance.

Our country, our nations, and our planet deserve better.

I came to this country as a refugee when I was a child. I became a U.S. citizen in 2002. This was my 4th time voting for a U.S. president. Today, I celebrate that I live in a country where our voices were heard, our votes were counted, and our longing for a more humble, compassionate, unifying leader won.

I value this country’s ideals of freedom and democracy. My hope is that the people of Iran will one day have a voice. That protestors are not executed. That all votes matter. That it will have a true democracy.

“Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.” – John Lewis

Persian Baklavah Cake

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• Author: Plant-Based Persian
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 people 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

A plant-based Baklavah Cake 

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

“Baklavah Syrup”

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground saffron
• 1 Tbsp rose water

“Baklavah Cake”

• 1/2 cup carbonated water – This serves as an egg replacer
• 1/2 cup plain, unsweetened plant-based yogurt (we recommend Kite Hill)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup melted plant-based butter or coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup (plus 2 Tbsp) rice flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• Crushed (unsalted) pistachio for garnish

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Prepare the “Syrup”
   • Add the water, sugar, cardamom, and saffron to a small pot on medium heat. Stir.
   • Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sugar should be fully dissolved. Turn off the heat.
   • Add the rose water. Stir. Set aside, and let it cool.
3. Prepare the Baklavah “Cake”
   • Mix the carbonated water, plant-based yogurt, sugar, cardamom and melted butter or oil in a large bowl.
   • Mix the almond flour and rice flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Add the flour/baking powder mixture to the large bowl. Mix well until you have a smooth batter.
4. In a 11×7 pan, place parchment paper and lightly spray with coconut oil. Add the cake batter evenly, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes until golden.
5. Let cake cool completely (approximately 30 minutes). Cut the cake horizontally. Then cut the cake diagonally from one corner of the pan to the other to create the diamond shape.
6. Pour the “Syrup” over the entire cake. Garnish with crushed pistachios. Let the cake sit to fully absorb the Syrup for 1 hour before serving.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: Desert
• Cuisine: Iranian/Persian