Persian Love Cake

3 ½ cups or 385 g. almond meal

¾ cup or 110 g. brown sugar

¾ cup or 110 g. Cardamom Pistachio Sugar, plus extra to serve

120 g. butter at room temperature

2 free range eggs not large

250 g. natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve

½ tsp.  Ground nutmeg

2 tsp. Ground cardamom

Zest of 1 orange

50 g. raw pistachios, halved

 

Pre-heat oven to 180ˇC. Grease and line a 26cm cake pan, which is largish.

 

In a food processor, pulse together the almond meal, brown sugar, pistachio cardamom sugar, butter and a pinch of salt until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

 

Spoon half the mixture into your prepared pan and press down to form an even base.

 

Add the eggs, yoghurt, half the orange zest and spices to the remaining crumb and pulse until smooth and creamy. Pour over the base, and tap the tin to level the top of the cake.

 

Sprinkle cardamom pistachio sugar over the top and bake for 35 – 40 mins or until golden on top.

 

If adding pistachio halves to decorate, wait for 15 mins before adding pistachio halves in a pattern on the top (so they donŐt burn).   Return to the oven to finish baking for another 20-25 minutes or until cake is golden.

 

Cool in pan on a wire rack. To serve, mix together yoghurt, remaining orange zest and 1 tsp. of cardamom pistachio sugar.

 

Pistachio cardamom sugar


120 g. golden castor sugar

½ tsp cardamom

50 g. pistachios

 

Blitz together and store in a jar

 

This cake will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.