Persian
Love Cake
Candied Rose Petals
You will need to prepare these the night before you make the cake. Make sure that you buy organically grown roses. The cake does not need these as there is rosewater in the icing, nor does it need the addition of pistachios, but it makes it much more special.
*2 large egg whites
* 1/2 cup sugar (you do not need superfine sugar for this)
* Petals from 2 organic roses
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
* 1 cup cake flour
* 14 tablespoons baker's sugar or superfine sugar, divided
* 1 1/2 teaspoons
baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
* 3 large eggs, separated
* 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).
Grind the seeds or use a mortar and pestle. I'd definitely suggest you use the
seeds from the pods. They're much more pungent than jarred ground cardamom.
Sift flour, 7 tablespoons baker's sugar, baking powder, and salt into large
bowl. Whisk yolks, water, canola oil and grated lemon peel and cardamom in small
bowl until smooth. Add yolk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk until smooth. Beat
egg whites 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.)
Frosting
This icing recipe
makes a lot so you can be generous with it.
* 2 1/2 cups chilled
heavy whipping cream, divided
* Pinch of saffron threads - I have read
online some people say they made the icing without the saffron. It's a very important
flavor component. If you don't have saffron, don't make it.
* 2/3 cup powdered sugar
* 1 teaspoon rose water
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 cups cream, powdered
sugar, and rose water in large bowl until soft peaks form; strain in saffron cream.
Straining the saffron removes any lumps that occurred while simmering the
cream and the saffron threads. I recommend you strain it but you don't have to.
Either way the flavor/outcome is the same.
Beat until peaks form.
Decorate the iced cake with rose petals and pistachios.
* 2 tablespoons natural unsalted pistachios -slightly chopped
Natural
unsalted pistachios can be difficult to find. Whatever you do DO NOT USE roasted
salted pistachios. You may find natural unsalted pistachios in stores like Whole
Foods or a local ethnic market. If you are lucky you may be able to find Persian
Slivered Pistachios. They can be ordered online.
Let the cake chill for one hour. It's best eaten same day, or next day to retain it's best flavor and freshness.