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April 27, 2020

Baking Persian love cake

Being in pandemic quarantine has been a chance to go through piles of magazines that I don't need anymore, tearing out recipes to add to our collection. This has the double benefit of exposing new cooking ideas and clearing corners of the house. One of the recipes that caught my eye is Persian love cake. This is very similar to Nutmeg cake, which I have been making for decades. If you're looking for a cake to share on Mother's Day, this could be it. The recipe traditionally calls for crushed pistachios, which add a vibrant pop of colour. Without pistachios at hand I used slivered almonds. The cake has an interesting texture, an almost crunchy biscuit base and softer dense body. I hope you enjoy it. It disappeared very quickly when I made it for morning tea for our family during the school holidays.

Persian love cake (from Australian House and Garden)

Ingredients: 3 cups (360g) almond meal, 1 cup (220g) raw sugar, 1 cup (220g) brown sugar, 120g unsalted butter, softened, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 250g greek-style yoghurt, plus extra to serve, 1 tbsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 cup (45g) pistachios, coarsely chopped.
Method: Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Lightly grease a 22cm diameter springform cake tin and line with baking paper. Combine almond meal, sugars, butter and 1 tsp salt in a bowl and rub with fingertips to form coarse crumbs. Spoon half the mixture into the cake tin, evenly covering the base. Add egg, yoghurt and nutmeg to remaining mixture and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Pour over prepared base, smooth top, scatter pistachios around edge and bake until golden, 30-35 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool in tin. Serve with extra yoghurt. Serves 8.

Megan Trousdale

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4 Responses

Deborah Hamilton

August 15, 2020

Dear Megan
I shall be trying this lovely recipe.
Please could you kindly tell me whether you are still stocking the lovely wicker chests etc and where I can buy a lovely wooden cake stand like yours.
Thank you kindly and Take Care

Margaret Dixon

August 15, 2020

This looks nice to have warm for dessert. We will try it this weekend.

Margaret

August 15, 2020

Started using this recipe about 8 years ago.
Found it too sweet and halved the sugar.
Substituted pecans for the pistachios which complements the nutmeg (and I added cardamom too).
Be aware that the nutmeg works!
I use less nutmeg for non-seductive events ;-)

Margaret

August 15, 2020

Who we are

Duncan and Megan Trousdale of Odgers and McClelland Exchange Stores seek out useful and beautiful kitchenware and garden tools inspired by the 120-year retail history of their general merchants store and what they use in their kitchen and garden on eight-acres in country NSW.

April 27, 2020

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Baking Persian love cake

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