Love is literally in the air; this Persian Love Cake smells amazing. With cardamom and rosewater, it is so aromatic even my children were commenting how good it smelled. It is moist, and the lemon zest adds a nice balance to the sweetness of the cake and the glaze.
The Persian love cake is apparently based on a legend that there was a Persian woman who was madly in love with a prince. To make him fall in love with her, she decided to bake this cake, which had magical love powers. Topped with a glaze and a beautiful rose and pistachio garnish, this dessert certainly looks, smells, and tastes magical. Best of all, this recipe is vegan.
Ingredient Notes
- This is an eggless recipe and uses plain, unsweetened plant-based yogurt. I highly recommend the plain, unsweetened almond yogurt from Kitehill brand. The consistency is perfect, and the flavor is neutral compared to a coconut-based yogurt.
- You will also need rosewater, which can be found at an Indian or Middle Eastern store. I actually recently bought my rosewater at Whole Foods, and I have seen it on Amazon.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest also add a nice balance to the sweetness of the cake and glaze.
- Edible rose petals and slivered or crushed pistachios make for a beautiful (and delicious garnish). You can get edible rose petals and buds on Amazon.
How to Make Vegan Persian Love Cake
Unlike most Persian recipes, this recipe is quite simple and quick. Full measurements an instructions are in the recipe card below.
- First, mix the plant-based yogurt, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, rose water, baking powder and baking soda. Let it sit for 2 minutes.
- Add the flour, sugar, salt, and ground cardamom. Combine.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Prepare the glaze of powdered sugar, plant-based milk, and rose water. You can add lemon zest as well.
- Let the cake completely cool before adding the glaze.
- Garnish with slivered pistachios and edible rose petals.
Serving Persian Love Cake
This dessert is perfect for anniversaries and Valentine’s Day. The recipe is also very similar to our Persian Baklavah Cake, which is topped with a syrup rather than a glaze.
Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag us on Instagram @plant_basedpersian or share it on Pinterest!
Love is the light that guideth in darkness
– Abdul-Baha
Vegan Persian Love Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4–5 people 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A moist, fragrant, delicious rosewater, cardamom cake perfect for anniversaries and Valentine’s Day.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup plain, unsweetened plant-based yogurt (Kitehill brand recommended)
- 1/2 cup cooking oil; neutral
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp rose water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp plain, unsweetened, plant-based milk
- 1 Tbsp rose water
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest (optional)
Garnish
- Slivered, unsalted pistachios
- Edible rose petals
Instructions
Prepare Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan.
- In a large bowl, mix the plant-based yogurt, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, rose water, baking powder and baking soda. Let it sit for 2 minutes.
- Sift in your flour, sugar, and salt.
- Add the ground cardamom, and combine.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the glaze.
Prepare Glaze and Garnish
- In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, plant milk, rosewater, and lemon zest (optional). Mix until creamy.
- Garnish with slivered pistachios and edible rose petals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Iranian/Persian
Keywords: Vegan, egg-free, eggless, dairy-free, cake, dessert, Persian, Love, recipe, cardamom, rosewater, Persian love cake