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Home » Recipes

Persian Love Bundt

Published: Feb 10, 2016 · Modified: Jan 3, 2023 by Emma · This post may contain affiliate links · 39 Comments

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Based on two variations on Persian Love Cake, this Persian Love Bundt cake is the perfect sweet treat to serve up on Valentines Day. 

A tale of two loves

Persian Love Cake is all over the internet but for such a famous cake no one seems to know where it originally came from with some sites suggesting it was only first published in 2005.

I'm a sucker for the history behind different dishes and if there's a romantic tale or tragedy behind its construction then even better! So, with a name like Persian Love Cake I expected there to be a tale of love, passion and perhaps even a bit of lust involved.

The best I could find was the following courtesy of ChocolateChalk.com:

a French woman fell in love with an Iranian prince and created this cake to show her feelings for him. However, she was unaware of his severe allergy to one of spices she has used in the cake and he died on the spot after only a few bites

Note to self: re-check allergies before baking...there's a lesson for us all there!

Some of the stories I came across were a little happier but who doesn't like a bit of tragedy. It's no Romeo and Juliet but I guess it will have to do!

I love this Persian Love Bundt filled with exotic flavours like rose cardamom and pistachio its the perfect exotic cake for Valentines Day

 

Variations

It would seem however that for every version of the story behind the cake there is a different recipe.

The two biggest variations being the ingredients for the sponge. Some say that Persian Love Cake is made from a chiffon sponge spiked with the flavours of cardamom and pistachio, topped with light, rose flavoured cream. Others say its a much more dense cake made from ground almonds instead of flour. This second variation is often dusted with icing sugar and topped with rose petals and chopped nuts.

It would seem just like love itself Persian Love Cake comes in many forms. So I decided to break the mould and come up with my very own Persian Love Bundt which is a bit of a mix of both!

A recipe for special ocassions

The exotic, aromatic flavours of rose, cardamom and pistachio are bound to stir up a few emotions making this recipe the perfect sweet treat this Valentine's Day.

I baked this cake to celebrate another special occasion, the engagement of my big sister and her partner ! It's the perfect cake for a romantic celebration!

Who will you bake your Persian Love Bundt for?

This Persian Love Bundt is based on the classic Persian Love Cake made with almonds pistachios rose and saffron its the perfect cake for Valentines Day

The Recipe

Rose and pistachio are two of the most important flavours in Persian Love Cake I choose to decorate my Persian Love Bundt with delicate rose buds and whole pistachios

Persian Love Bundt

Persian Love Cake is a wonderful, fragrant, moist sponge cake. Why not bake it in a beautiful bundt tin for an extra special celebration cake?
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Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 16 slices
Calories 236.71 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the cake

  • 100 ml almond milk warm
  • 3 strands saffron
  • 6 eggs
  • 220 g caster sugar
  • 250 ml natural yogurt
  • 150 g ground almonds
  • 150 g self raising flour
  • 5 cardamom seeds only, ground
  • 50 g pistachios chopped
  • 1 lemon zest only
  • 1 orange zest (save the juice for further down the recipe)
  • 2 tablespoon rose water

For decoration

  • 6 tablespoon honey
  • 1 orange juice only
  • 1 tablespoon rose water
  • rose petals for decoration only
  • 2 tablespoon pistachios whole
  • 1 tablespoon icing sugar

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 140C and grease your pan
  • Begin by adding the saffron to the warm milk and place to one side.
  • While the milk is infusing, beat together the eggs and sugar until thick and creamy.
  • Fold in the yogurt being careful not to burst too many of the air bubbles created in the previous step.
  • Next, fold in the ground almonds, flour, ground cardamom, citrus zest and chopped pistachios. Finally add the rosewater and the milk and saffron mix to the cake batter, stirring gently.
  • Bake in the centre of the oven for between 45 minutes and an hour or until the cake is bouncy to the touch, a skewer comes away clean from the centre of the cake and the cake has begun to move away from the edges of the pan.
  • Leave the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before transferring on to a cooling rack.
  • While the cake is cooling make a syrup from the honey, orange juice and rose water.
  • Heat the syrup gently before spooning over the cake.
  • To decorate, scatter rose petals and pistachios over the cake.
  • Once the cake has cooled completely and the syrup has soaked in, dust lightly with icing sugar.

Notes

1. Use a food processor on the 'pulse' setting to chop the pistachios quickly.
2. The batter is quite wet. Don't panic! It's meant to be like that.

Nutrition

Calories: 236.71kcalCarbohydrates: 34.62gProtein: 6.93gFat: 8.89gSaturated Fat: 1.44gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 63.41mgSodium: 39.83mgPotassium: 151.29mgFiber: 2.44gSugar: 23.87gVitamin A: 160.94IUVitamin C: 12.92mgCalcium: 72.39mgIron: 1.09mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Get the look - bundt tins

The best bundt tins are made by Nordicware but they can be a little pricey. They come in a whole range of shapes and patterns. You can buy the one I used here. 

When you make this cake your kitche n will be filled with the heady aromas of spice, citrus and roses. If your other half isn't already swarming around you like a bee around bunny then will be when they smell this cooking.

More romantic recipes

How will you be celebrating Valentine's Day this year? Do you cook for your loved one on special occasions? I'd love to hear in the comments below! In the meantime here are some of my favourite romantic recipes.

Valentines Day Waffles

This twist on a French Martini swaps vodka for gin and vermouth. Garnished with fresh raspberries this Chambord cocktail is perfect for Valentines Day!

French Martini

These Mini Nutella and Strawberry Pancake Stacks are perfect for pancake day, valentines day, a birthday treat or, just because! Get the recipe at Supper in the Suburbs

Mini Nutella and Strawberry Pancakes

Vegan Chocolate Fondant (Lava Cake)

Chocolate Lava Cake

The Valentines Day recipe collection

For the full range of Valentines Day recipes check out the recipe collection here.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ceri Jones says

    February 10, 2016 at 4:08 pm

    This cake sounds utterly delicious and your photos give it justice - very vibrant and evocative! I have a bundt tin too, but its not as swirly as yours so maybe an excuse to buy a new one before attempting a love cake like this!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 10, 2016 at 5:00 pm

      Thanks Ceri 🙂 I was pretty pleased with how the photos came out and that my sister and her fiancé loved it!!! You sound a lot like me too...I almost bought a new bundt tin just for this cake...I feel like I need a different tin for each recipe :-p

      Reply
  2. Tracy | Baking Mischief says

    February 10, 2016 at 5:07 pm

    Well that story had a hilariously tragic twist I was not expecting! I've actually never seen this cake around before, but it's gorgeous! Citrus and rosewater is such a great combo. I bet your sister and her fiance loved this. That's so sweet of you to make it for them!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 10, 2016 at 5:30 pm

      Awww thanks Tracy 🙂 I love the story too :-p it's certainly not a classic love story hehehe but you're right citrus and rose is a beautiful combo which this cake takes to a whole new level. You should give it a go!

      Reply
  3. lisa @garlicandzest.com says

    February 10, 2016 at 6:02 pm

    First, what a beautiful cake. It's really lovely. 2nd - what an interesting story -- check allergies for sure!

    Reply
  4. Kavey says

    February 10, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    Love the backstory, even if it's perhaps not very old! And your bundt looks stunning, not least because of those gorgeous roses!

    Reply
  5. Allison says

    February 10, 2016 at 7:40 pm

    What a great story! The cake is absolutely gorgeous!

    Reply
  6. Munchies & Munchkins says

    February 10, 2016 at 8:48 pm

    How very odd, just before I commented I was reading about the backstory to this cake. Your take on it looks immense!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 10, 2016 at 8:52 pm

      What a coincidence 🙂 I've seen so many different variations but was very pleased how mine turned out, I'm glad you like it 😀

      Reply
  7. Sam | Ahead of Thyme says

    February 11, 2016 at 2:04 am

    This cake looks amazing! I think I may have to try to make this too!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 11, 2016 at 7:44 am

      You definitely should Sam! Let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply
  8. April says

    February 11, 2016 at 3:13 pm

    Such a beautiful cake! Love the ingredients list too!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 11, 2016 at 10:27 pm

      Thanks April. It is certainly full of amazing spices and aromatics! A real treat!

      Reply
  9. Lucy says

    February 11, 2016 at 9:34 pm

    What a beauty!! I would certainly fall for someone who gave me a cake like that 🙂 it sounds delicious Emma

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 11, 2016 at 10:28 pm

      Awwww Lucy that's so sweet 😉 bookmark it for the other half? :-p

      Reply
  10. Lucy Parissi says

    February 12, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    I love the flavours in this as much as I love the name 🙂 Truly a gorgeous cake.

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 12, 2016 at 7:57 pm

      Thank you so much Lucy it is a rather special ingredients list! Well worth it!

      Reply
  11. Kate | The Veg Space says

    February 17, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    Wowee Emma, this is absolutely stunning! Enough to blow the socks off anyone's valentine, and what incredible photos too - hope you're super-proud of this one!!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 19, 2016 at 3:45 pm

      Thanks Kate. I was really pleased with how this one turned out!

      Reply
  12. Malini says

    February 26, 2016 at 3:42 am

    Thanks for a great recipe! Made it for my daughter on Valentine's Day. Wish I could send you a pic, it is so pretty! Cheers.

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 26, 2016 at 7:07 am

      Awesome 😀 if you have twitter or Facebook you can always send it to me there! The Facebook page is named after the blog ad my twitter handle is @KitchenGoddess3. I would love to see it 🙂

      Reply
  13. simon says

    April 09, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    Great you mentioned the story! It was unknown to me 🙂 a bit sad but hey... I think the guy had a great last dessert and thought! Awesome photography too!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      April 10, 2016 at 9:01 am

      Thanks Simon 🙂 I was quite proud with how the photos turned out means a lot to me!

      Reply
  14. Christine | Vermilion Roots says

    April 09, 2016 at 10:11 pm

    What a crazy love story that is. Love learning about food history!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      April 10, 2016 at 9:02 am

      Me too Christine! 🙂 makes it all the more interesting!

      Reply
  15. Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily says

    April 09, 2016 at 11:48 pm

    What a beautiful cake! I love the flavors as well!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      April 10, 2016 at 9:02 am

      Thank you so much Gwen 🙂 that means a lot!

      Reply
  16. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says

    April 10, 2016 at 2:04 am

    Love the photos! What an adorable cake and a great story to go with it. Though I will certainly check for any allergies before serving. 🙂

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      April 10, 2016 at 9:04 am

      Haha thanks AnneMarie ! We can all learn a lesson from this love story 😉

      Reply
  17. Just Jo says

    April 10, 2016 at 6:21 am

    *Squeal* it's so pretty! Oh what glorious photographs and the cake looks bootiful 😀 I can't stand rose water (I swear I can detect it's presence at a concentration of 1 part per million 😉 ) but there is so much going on here that I love I bet it would be superb without it 😀

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      April 10, 2016 at 9:07 am

      Thanks Jo you're very sweet 🙂 you probably could leave the rose water out. Perhaps replace it with orange blossom instead? Let me know if you do tweak it! Would be interested to see how it turns out

      Reply
  18. Kathryn Payandeh says

    February 13, 2017 at 12:02 am

    Beautiful cake.
    Can I use ordinary milk instead of almond milk ?Have all the ingredients apart from this one.
    Making it tomorrow. Thank you

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      February 13, 2017 at 12:31 pm

      Hi Kathryn! Normal milk will work just fine 🙂 enjoy!

      Reply
  19. Tina N says

    June 15, 2017 at 6:52 pm

    This cake looks amazing! I want to make a 4 layer cake for the bottom tier of a wedding cake, would this recipe work? Or would it be too heavy? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      June 15, 2017 at 8:55 pm

      Hi Tina. I'm no experts at wedding cakes but provided you were using dowel rods between your layers I think it would be fine 😀 what a lovely idea!! And good luck!

      Reply
  20. Kelley Hyatt says

    October 01, 2017 at 11:49 pm

    Hi
    I made this cake last week. It was lovely, but something seemed missing. Should there be butter in this recipe? There is no mention of it in the recipe or directions, but I did notice butter was mentioned as a tag.
    I'm about to try them again, and wonder if this would help to make a more tender cake.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Emma Walton says

      October 02, 2017 at 6:50 am

      Hi Kelley. I hope you're well! Thank you for thr feedback on the cake. I don't make mine using butter - the yogurt brings many of the same properties but is more acidic which is true to the more authentic recipe. By all means try it with butter and let me know your thoughts!

      Reply
  21. Louise Priday says

    June 02, 2023 at 3:28 pm

    I’d love to make this exquisite looking cake for a friend’s wedding anniversary. I keep imaginig it with cream (chantilly cream maybe), but would that be too much of a culinary culture clash?

    Reply
    • Emma says

      June 02, 2023 at 5:44 pm

      I think that sounds delicious! Go for it and tell me what you think!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Emma. I'm a UK based food blogger who's been sharing recipes with the world since 2011. I'm passionate about eating a plant based diet using local, seasonal ingredients.

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