Cake Yazdi (Persian Cardamom & Saffron Muffins)

I was very lucky to have visited Iran during the Persian New Year Celebrations. Nowruz (New Day)as it’s called in Persian is celebrated on the 21st of March, and it’s a time for celebrating with families and friends, reflecting on the year past and looking forward to what the new year will bring. At no other time, is the Persian warmth and hospitality more evident than during Nowruz. There’s a lot of festivities from simple picnics to sumptous dinners, which usually end in dancing well into the night.

Unlike the New Year celebrations in the West, there is no alcohol in sight, but food, glorious food is a plenty. Anyways, in one of these get togethers, I tried the most delightful cupcakes called Cake Yazdi that someone had baked. Among all the sweets that day, and there was a lot of it, this is the one I loved the most for it’s simplicity and exquisite taste.

Cake Yazdi is named after Yadz, an arid city in central Iran which is famous for silks and confectionery like baghlava and sohan. Although it’s called a cake,strictly speaking Cake Yazdi is a muffin . It’s easy enough to make (no mixer required) with the unmistakable Persian flavours of cardamom saffron and rosewater. It’s got a lovely crumb with the moistness that comes from the almond flour and the addition of yoghurt. Not overly sweet, and with the signature muffin tops, these little gems also makes a good breakfast. With a little embellishment of pistachio pieces and rose petals, they are pretty irresistible at any other time. Leftovers? Refresh in the microwave for a few seconds, slather in lots of butter and you’re good to go!

I have the lovely Laleh ( one of the Persian Prince’s cousin) to thank for this recipe. When she made this for me it was all slapdash bit of this and that but it came out beautiful. I have had to work out the exact quantities myself when I tried making it back in Sydney and the following is the recipe I came out with.

What you need to make Cake Yazdi

• Self Raising Flour – You can substitute this with plain flour with 4 teaspoons baking powder added. so for every cup of flour, you add 2 teaspoons baking powder. In this case, sift the flour together with baking powder so that the baking powder is fully incorporated.
• Almond Flour – This is added for extra richness and makes the cake moist.
• Aromatics – Cardamom powder, rosewater and saffron. To bloom the saffron, place the strands in a small ramekin and add 2 tablespoons of hot water, then set aside. Rosewater can be omitted if you don’t like it and the cake will still be delicious.
• Pantry /Fridge Staples – Eggs,butter,sugar,yoghurt, pinch of salt,baking powder, lemon zest, butter, and cooking oil.
• Dried or fresh edible rose petals and pistachio pieces for garnish…
• Muffin Tray and Muffin Liners

Easy does it…

• Bloom the saffron threads in hot water to infuse. Set aside.
• Line trays with muffin liners or spray with cooking oil. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (fan forced). You need a higher temperature for this bake to give the muffins that characteristic domed muffin top.
• Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Make a well in the centre of the bowl and add the wet ingredients including the saffron infusion to the well.
• Use a spatula to fold the batter thru and mix together until just blended. Do not over mix.
• Scoop batter into the prepared pan about 3/4 full and bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until springy to the touch. My muffin tray has only 6 muffin wells, so I baked the rest of the batter in brioche moulds. Although not traditional, I love how it turned out.
• Cool in tray for about 10 minutes and turn out into a cooling rack to cool completely. Or enjoy when warm , its up to you. Brush tops with honey or melted butter and sprinkle with crushed pistachios and dried rose petals.

Cake Yazdi

Recipe by Lola Adele

4.0 from 1 vote

Course: DessertCuisine: PersianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

9

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups self raising flour

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 3 teaspoons cardamom

• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 1/2 cup caster sugar

• 1 cup full fat Greek style yoghurt

• 2 eggs,beaten

• 120g butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon rosewater

• 10 strands saffron,soaked in 2 Tablespoons hot water
  

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• Garnish

• Dried edible rose petals

• Finely chopped pistacios

• Bit of honey or melted butter

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180°C or 160)°C fanforced. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray pans with cooking oil.
• Bloom saffron strands in 2 tablespoons of hot water and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, use a whisk to mix together self-raising flour, almond flour, caster sugar, cardamom,baking powder and finely grated zest of one lemon.
• Make a well in the centre of flour and add beaten egg, melted butter,cooking oil, including the saffron infusion, rosewater if using and yoghurt into the well. Use a spatula to fold the wet ingredients to the flour mix. Blend until just combined. Do not over mix.
• Scoop batter into the paper lined pans about 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 – 25 minutes, turning the pan around halfway thru baking time.
• Turn out muffins into a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Brush tops of the muffin with honey or melted butter then sprinkle crushed pistachios and/or dried rose petals.

Notes

• Makes 9 muffins