Spelt Persian Love Loaf Cake

Sue Maree P -

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, this new Spelt Persian Love Loaf Cake is a perfect celebration cake recipe to bake for someone you love. I have made a version of this cake for the past two years. The new Persian Love Cake recipe I have created is a pistachio version in a loaf tin, a lighter and fluffier version than my other cakes. I have made this with white spelt flour, but this recipe could be easily adapted to use regular flour. I have decorated the top of the cake with an easy not too sweet fluffy buttercream frosting and decorated with chopped pistachios, edible rose petals and rose pearl sugar. It looks fancy but it is rather simple to bake and decorate.

Takes = 15 minutes
Bakes = 45 to 55 minutes
Makes = 1 small loaf (450g, 1 lb)

Ingredients

  • White Spelt Flour – 150g (1 cup)
  • Unsalted butter, soft –125g (1/2 cup)
  • Caster Sugar – 150g (3/4 cup)
  • Baking Powder – 3/4 tsp
  • Ground Cardamom* – 3/4 tsp
  • Ground Cinnamon – 1 tsp
  • Large Eggs – 2
  • Greek or Natural Yoghurt – 75g (1/2 cup)
  • Finely Chopped Pistachios (or ground almonds) – 30g (1/4 cup)
  • Zest of Lemon or Orange – 2 teaspoons
  • Rosewater (optional) – 1 tsp

Fluffy Buttercream Frosting

  • Unsalted butter, soft – 75g
  • Icing sugar – 125g
  • Milk if thick – 2 tablespoons
  • Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
  • A few drops of rosewater

Decorations

  • Chopped pistachios – 3 teaspoons
  • Edible rose petals – 2 teaspoons
  • Raspberry pearl sugar (optional but the crunch is fun) – 1 to 2 teaspoons

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 160˚c fan-forced, 180˚C. Generously grease and line a small loaf tin.

Step 2
In a large mixing bowl or on your stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes till pale and fluffy.

Step 3
Add the eggs one by one, beating to mix after each addition. Add in the yoghurt, lemon zest and rose water and beat to combine for only 30 to 60 seconds.

Step 4
Whisk or sift, baking powder and spices, flour and chopped pistachios then fold this into the mixture or combined briefly on the stand mixer. Do not over-mix.

Step 5 Baking and cooling
Pour the smooth cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 160˚C fan-forced, 180˚C. Check the centre is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre, if it comes out clean it's ready. I bake mine on a lowered rack in the oven. Remove and allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes. Gently lift out and cool for at least an hour before icing.

Step 6 Icing
Whip butter with electric beaters until pale, then add in sifted icing sugar and milk, once it is fluffy add in juice and rosewater. Spread over with a spatula over the cooled cake, then decorate with chopped pistachios, rose petals and raspberry pearl sugar. Store in a sealed container, it should keep tasting good for up to 3 days, but it may not last that long it's so delicious.