Baking Dessert

Mini Persian love cakes

Name: Mini Persian love cakes recipe
Ingredients: 150g pistachio; 4 cardamom pods, bruised, seeds reserved, pods discarded; 170g fine semolina; 100g almond meal; 1 1/4 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp freshly finely grated nutmeg; 300g salted butter, chopped, softened; 330g brown sugar; Finely grated zest of 1 orange; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 4 large eggs, lightly beaten; 60ml orange juice; Edible dried rose petals (optional); 100ml lemon juice; 80ml rosewater; 110g caster sugar; 200g Greek-style yoghurt; 200g creme fraiche; 20.00 ml icing sugar, sifted

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

Aug 19, 2025

With origins in the Middle East, these mini versions of a classic Persian love cake offers the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. Made from a base of almond meal and pistachios, the cakes are drizzled with a fragrant rosewater syrup and paired with a luscious cream to finish.

You’ll need two 180ml cup-capacity texas muffin tins.

1 cup (150g) pistachios, plus extra chopped pistachios to serve
4 cardamom pods, bruised, seeds reserved, pods discarded
170g fine semolina
1 cup (100g) almond meal
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp freshly finely grated nutmeg
300g salted butter, chopped, softened
330g brown sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (60ml) orange juice
Edible dried rose petals (optional)

Syrup

100ml lemon juice
1/3 cup (80ml) rosewater
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar

Cream

200g Greek-style yoghurt
200g creme fraiche
1 tbs icing sugar, sifted

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease the bases of 8 holes from two Texas muffin tins and line with baking paper.
2.

Whiz the pistachio and cardamom seeds in a food processor until pistachios are finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and add the semolina, almond meal, baking powder and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
3.

Place butter, sugar, orange zest and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until well combined. With the motor running, slowly add the eggs and orange juice until well combined. Fold through the pistachio mixture until just combined.
4.

Divide batter between the prepared tins and use an offset spatula to smooth the surface. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Stand in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
5.

Meanwhile, make the syrup. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and gently boil for 10 minutes until syrupy.
6.

Set a wire rack over a piece of baking paper and turn cakes out onto wire rack and drizzle over the hot syrup. Set aside to cool completely.
7.

Meanwhile, for the cream, place all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk to medium peaks (this will take about 10 minutes). Cover and chill until required.
8.

Halve each cake and sandwich with some cream. Scatter with extra pistachio and rose petals, if using and serve with the remaining cream alongside.