spring bake!

Today the thermostat hit 70 degrees. New York City’s first flirtation with Spring has arrived and my girl friend and baker in crime Billur and I decided to create a Spring-inspired cake to celebrate…

Billur is originally from Turkey so we decided to bake a chiffon cake with rose water whipped cream recipe inspired by Turkish confections. This cake is sometimes referred to as the Persian Love Cake and the reasoning behind that varies but the general thought is there was once a young persian princess who wanted a prince to love her. She baked this cake for him and they lived happily ever after. 😉

The recipe is light and perfect for warmer months and the name may sound a bit frilly, it’s simple to make and here’s how:

INGREDIENTS

Cake

  • 1 cup cake flour

  • 14 tablespoons confectioner sugar or superfine sugar, divided

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

  • 3 large eggs, separated

  • 6 tablespoons water

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil

  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Frosting

  • 2.5 cups chilled heavy whipping cream

  • pinch of saffron threads

  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar

  • 2 tsp. rose water

  • 3 tbsp. unsalted crushed pistachios

PREPARATION

Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, 7 tablespoons baker’s sugar, baking powder, and salt into large bowl.

  2. Whisk yolks and next 4 ingredients 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.

  3. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Divide batter between prepared pans.

  4. 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.

Frosting

  1. Combine 1/2 cup cream and saffron in small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat; let steep 20 minutes.

  2. Chill until cold. Beat remaining 2 cups cream, powdered sugar, and rose water in large bowl until soft peaks form; strain in saffron cream. Beat until peaks form. Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

  3. Garnish cake with rose petals and pistachios.

Enjoy and Happy Spring!

The Setting