My love affair with rose-infused treats has blossomed over the years, much like the delicate flavor of rosewater itself. A few years back I made rose tiramisu. Imagine the rose milk soaked ladyfingers, but infused with the fragrant essence of rosewater and rose syrup. This rosewater cake is based on my vanilla loaf cake recipe. I decided to swap out the vanilla extract for rosewater and also incorporated some almond meal into the batter along with a touch of green cardamom powder. The combination turned absolutely delightful! It wasn’t a huge surprise, though, because rosewater and cardamom are common flavorings in many Indian cakes (such as mawa cake), mithai (indian sweets) and rice dishes (like biryani). This rosewater cake recipe is simple and straightforward. It uses basic ingredients and isn’t overly sweet. The cake has a good crumb, however its not airy or spongy.
About My Recipe
Ingredients
Sugar - On the day I shot this recipe, I was out of granulated sugar and had no mood to run to store. So I used raw sugar at home. It worked fine except that took longer to cream the butter and sugar. Plus it made the crumb brownish. Raspberries - Fresh or frozen raspberries work great! Choose smaller ones to prevent them from getting mushy in the cake. Yogurt - I use plain, whole milk greek yogurt. You could use skimmed yogurt as well. I have made it with sour cream once and it worked fine too. Butter - I use salted butter in this recipe and no, it wont make your cake salty. Rosewater- Use high quality so that it shines post baking. You could use rose extract/ rose essence too. Don’t use rose syrup. Almond flour - I use blanced almond flour(available at Trader Joe’s). It is different from almond meal.
Instructions
Line the sides and bottom of (4.5 inch by 8.5 inch) loaf pan (non-affiliate) with parchment paper. Pre heat oven to 350F. In a medium mixing bowl sift the dry ingredients - flour & baking powder. In stand mixer bowl or a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes or untill light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yogurt along with rosewater and green cardamom powder. Mix until pale and slightly fluffy.
Once the wet ingredients are ready, add the flour mix and almond flour. Mix or stir on low speed until just combined. Add the milk and give a final whirl to combine.
Fold the raspberries gently (so that they dont break) and the chopped pistachios. Transfer the cake batter to the prepped loaf pan. Smoothen the top using offset spatula.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer inserted in center of the cake comes out clean.Mine was ready at 44 minute mark. Take out of the oven and let cool in the pan 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and completely cool down. Frost with whipped cream or enjoy as it is with tea. This keep well for 3 days in a fridge. Wam up a bit if you are eating as a tea cake.
Tips
To ensure a smooth batter, I take out all my ingredients, including milk, yogurt, and even the almond flour (yes, I keep mine in the fridge!), about an hour before baking to bring them to room temperature. Cold ingredients can make it harder to get a perfect texture. Use freshly ground green cardamom for the most vibrant flavor. Simply pop cardamom pods open, add the seeds to a small mortar pestle and grind to a powder. You can store the cake for 4-5 days refrigerated. Leave it out for 30 minutes or warm slighlt before serving.
